


Leticia Lunetti and the Burning Egg

by Writr



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:08:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 85,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26582656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writr/pseuds/Writr
Summary: OC/AU. Starting in the year 2020, witches and wizards and magic are now public knowledge! Enter Leticia Lunetti, a 12 year-old girl who has always believed she was normal...that is until a thunderstorm suddenly appears over her head. Whisked away to Hogwarts, unsure of who her true parentage, Leticia just wants to survive her first year. But will an ancient enemy put that plan to rest?First fanfiction lol so probably terrible at this
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Leticia Lunetti never thought she was special. She had read about wizarding history in her textbooks at school. She had seen some witches and wizards perform a show when she was eight. But she never thought she would ever be capable of performing such a feat. After all, her mother was a Muggle, so it only made sense that she would be, too.

That all changed after the storm.

When one thinks of a storm, they normally imagine a tempest, full of raging winds and crackling lightning. Something warranting destruction and chaos, surely. But on a fateful summer morning when Leticia woke up with a start, the only destruction she witnessed was that which was floating above her head.

Why a dark cloud had decided to make its new home the space just a few feet above her, Leticia did not know. She did know that it was rather frustrating to try and get dressed when there was a steady stream of rain drenching her hair, and that eating breakfast became a challenge when tiny bolts of lightning snapped at her spoon.

Meanwhile her mother fretted to and fro about the apartment, stress-biting her fingernails after she called Leticia in sick. "What are we supposed to do?" she asked nobody in particular. "How did this happen?" She looked at her daughter. "Is there someone at school who might have jinxed you?"

The twelve year-old shook her head. She didn't think there was anyone she had particularly angered recently. Leticia thought through her list of rivals. There was Brittany Smith, from her fourth period Spanish class, but their rivalry was nothing more than a friendly competition over whose grades were better. And Brittany, much to Leticia's grim acceptance, was currently winning, so there would be no reason for revenge.

Then there was Angelica Baxton, the popular girl that did seemingly everything in the entire school, from cheerleading to band to debate. How she had the time for all of those things and taking cheap shots at Leticia's less-than-stellar looks, one could only guess. But while Leticia herself perhaps had wished a thousand curses upon her, the reality was that Angelica probably didn't have the time to actually curse anyone properly.

Last on her list was Bruno Dunwright. He had asked Leticia to be her date to a school dance over a month ago, and had been sulking ever since she turned him down (She's twelve! Why would she possibly want a boyfriend when there are more important things like school?). Had this whole storm-nonsense happened back then he would have been suspect numero uno, but given how long it had been the chances were slim.

So while the perpetrator remained unknown, Luna Lunetti decided she would do her best to rid her daughter of that storm herself. After hours of searching the internet, her mother determined that she must have been placed under a metelojinx, a wizarding spell that creates a small storm like that which floated above her head. There were plenty of Muggle remedies available, but most were hogwash, like drinking onion juice or reciting an incantation over a rune made from chicken blood. That's not to say that the plan of "beat the storm with a pillow until it dissipates" was not beneath either of them, but it was safe to say that many hours passed before her mother decided to try "the tesla trick."

"This seems dangerous, Mom," Leticia said, even as her mother began assembling a pile of their metal silverware.

"It's okay, honey, this will work," her mother reassured her. "This has to work."

Two piles of silverware were assembled in their tiny living room, each on one end of their equally-tiny couch. Leticia sat in the middle, cross-legged, nervously pulling at a strand of her hair. "How exactly is this supposed to help again?"

"These two piles of metal will act as conduits. You need to make sure you put a hand on each of them, honey." Her mother paced nervously. "When one of those little lightning bolts strikes, it will travel through you and transfer energy into the piles. With all of that metal, the electrical energy will evaporate above you, and the spell will be broken."

"Hypothetically," Leticia added.

"Hypothetically," her mother admitted.

Leticia calmly set both of her hands down, each on a separate pile of metal. The storm raged above her head, a tiny yet ferocious wind whipping the edges of her now-soaked hair around. She could feel the energy building. The lightning was coming. She closed her eyes, shivering with fear.

Electricity crackled and snapped, striking the top of her head. Her body quaked as the energy flowed down her shoulders and through her forearms, sizzling at the edges of her fingertips.

CRACK!

Bolts of energy shot out of both hands, sending silverware scattering across the room. Her mother ducked as a butcher's knife flew through the space her head had occupied not a moment sooner. Pandemonium ensued for a moment as the cutlery settled, then all went quiet. Were her troubles over?

Leticia looked above her head. The storm was gone! There was nothing but empty space now where once a storm had been. She felt a warm tickling sensation in her fingers still, but joy coursed through her veins. "We did it!" she exclaimed.

"Not quite, honey." Her mother pointed.

While it was true the storm above her head was gone, there were now two tiny bracelets of stormclouds encircling her wrists. Each crackled and snapped and rained like the one before. "No," Leticia moaned. "Now there are two of them!?"

Neither her nor her mother had a moment more to process this development when there was a knock on the front door. Her mother took one glance at the door and then turned to her daughter. "Put your hands in your pockets," she ordered, before stooping down to collect some of the fallen silverware.

There was another knock on the door. "Be there in a moment!" her mother shouted. "Nevermind your pockets, help me get all of these knives and forks up."

Leticia began scooping up cutlery and dumping it on their kitchen counter, racing around like a mad-person, all while the storms around her wrists raged on. Why would someone be at their door now? Had someone heard them? Were they in trouble? A million questions swirled in her head, none of them reassuring her. It was too much of a coincidence.

The knock at the door came again, this time harder and more persistent. Her mother gave an exasperated gasp and set down her armful of silverware. "I'd better go check and see who it is," she said. "You get that last pile of spoons and then get those hands in those pockets."

"Yes, ma'am." Leticia did as she was told. There was no arguing, not now.

As she was just placing the final collection of spoons, her mother opened the door. A young woman in a dazzlingly-blue robe stood waiting, impatiently tapping her feet. "May I help you?" her mother asked.

"I believe you can," the young woman replied. "Is this the Lunetti residence?"

"It is," her mother said, perturbed. "Who are you?"

"I am Henrietta Hazelwood," the young woman said. "I come from the Department of Magical Affairs, Underage Sorcery Division. We received a report of underage magic occurring at this residence not a few moments ago, and I have been sent to investigate." She paused. "I'm not here to get anyone in trouble," Henrietta added, "I'm just here to make sure everyone is okay. May I come in?"

Luna Lunetti scoffed. "You most certainly may n-"

"Mom, let her in." Leticia held up her hands, showing the storms in all their glory. "She could help us."

In a flash, Henrietta entered the living room and sat opposite Leticia in their weathered armchair. She took one look at Leticia's wrists and exclaimed, "Ah, a weather charm. A darn good one if I might add. Well, this will be easy enough to fix up." She took out a wand and waved it in a tight circular motion. "Meteolojinx Recanto." The storms around Leticia's wrists vanished in an instant.

"That was amazing," Leticia gasped.

"Oh, that was nothing. Just a basic counter-spell. Tell me, Leticia, was this the first time you've made magic?"

"Why do you want to know?" Luna Lunetti sat next to her daughter, arms crossed.

Henrietta gave her a small smile. "Again, this isn't about anyone being in trouble. I only ask because some young witches and wizards can manifest dangerous magic if they aren't given any kind of methods of basic control early-on. If she's manifesting spells frequently, we might assign her a case manager; just someone who can check in on her and tutor her until she turns ten years of age. What is it, dear?"

Leticia had raised her hand. "Erm, I'm twelve."

Henrietta seemed genuinely surprised. "Oh! Um, well. That changes things, doesn't it?"

"How so?" Leticia's mother still seemed displeased with this woman's presence.

"Well, normally when a witch turns ten, she has a couple of options for how her schooling can play out. There are some private academies here in the local Dallas area that offer magic tutelage - I know that Cogsworth's School for Witches and Wizards is supposed to be particularly excellent - and then of course the main public American academy is Ilvermorny. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is always accepting the best and brightest witches, though given your age they may not even take your application...oh, and of course there's always Hogwarts-"

"Absolutely not." Leticia's mother shook her head. "Leticia is not going anywhere. Certainly not some far-off school away from here. Away from me."

Henrietta nodded. "Understandable, and as her mother you of course have the right to choose where she goes. In the meantime, though, we will want to take some precautions until a selection is made. Do you mind if I run a quick test?"

Luna Lunetti scowled, but made no move to stop her.

"Great!" Henrietta waved her wand and spoke a few words, and a small cardboard box appeared out from her robe pockets. She opened it, revealing a small plastic wand and four pieces of rock. "This is a test we give any child exhibiting magical abilities," she explained to Leticia, handing her the plastic wand. "I want to see exactly how strong your magic is right now."

"What do I do with this?" Leticia said, indicating the wand.

"Well, we're going to try a very basic spell. See these little stones? I want you to make them levitate using magic. It's a spell you would learn your first year of classes, no matter where you go. A very simple incantation and a flick of your wrist will do it. Now, the words are-"

Before Henrietta even had a chance to say the words of the incantation, all four stones were hovering a foot above the box. The young woman glanced at the adolescent girl; she wasn't even holding the wand upright. "Interesting…" she murmured.

"What's interesting?" Luna Lunetti asked, still cross.

"Leticia, can you try something for me?" Henrietta sat back in the armchair, immediately regretting this decision as the chair was not comfortable to rest in. "I want you to set the wand back in the box for me. And, yes, thank you for lowering the rocks. Very well done."

"What do you want me to do?" Leticia asked.

"There's a spell that's a little advanced, but I want to see if you can accomplish it. You are twelve, after all, and so your magic has had a little bit more time to manifest itself-"

"And what if she can't do what you want her to?" her mother asked.

"Well, then it just means that the rocks were a fluke and she won't be needing a case manager until you decide where she should go," Henrietta said. Turning her attention back to Leticia, she continued, "I'm going to have you think of a spell word and try to summon a ball of light. Nothing big or fancy. Just a small ball of light floating between us. Are you rea-"

An orb of light burst into being, momentarily blinding all present for its brilliance.

It faded as quickly as it had appeared. Henrietta looked stunned. "Well," she exclaimed. Then, suddenly, she pointed at Leticia. "Your hand…" Leticia looked down just in time to see a strange symbol made of light fading from the top of her right hand.

"Miss Hazelwood," Luna Lunetti said, "I am very, very sorry for how I've treated you."

Leticia looked at her mother with surprise. What?

"Well, do not worry about it," Henrietta began. "It really is no-"

"Please, you have to understand. I was told that this wasn't ever going to happen to her." Luna's voice became filled with something strange. Was it...fear? "I was told that her magic was taken from her when she was a babe. If I had known…" She closed her eyes and tears welled up in them. "I tried to be so careful…"

"Mom, what the hell are you talking about?"

Even Henrietta seemed quite confused. "Language aside, I do have to agree with your daughter here, Miss Lunetti. Do you mean to say that you knew she was of magical blood all these years? And failed to report it? Her father is the wizard, I assume."

Luna shook her head. "No, her...birth...mother was magical. Her father was a Muggle, same as me."

"My what!?"

Luna ignored her. "Years ago, there was a woman. Some sort of special agent, she handled this back then. Rebecca Nox? I think that was her name. Do you know of her?"

Henrietta paused. "Well, the name does sound familiar. I can't say that I know it off the top of my head, though…"

"In any case, it was she who helped us before. She had recommended that I take Leticia to Hogwarts, where we could be safe. Do you think that it could be arranged for her to study there?"

"I...suppose so." Henrietta was still trying to process everything. Leticia herself could barely think right then. "I mean, she is a little bit older than normal, and Hogwarts does pride itself on a safe environment nowadays...I'd have to get word to the Headmistress immediately to see if it's even possible to get her in...but I think that can be arranged."

"Good." Luna nodded. "Then it's decided."

Leticia sat still, shocked. She was going to Hogwarts.


	2. London Flight

A week after Leticia Lunetti discovered she was a witch, she found herself at the nearby airport, sitting next to the blue-robed Henrietta Hazelwood on a flight to London.

"Why can't we just use magic to get there?" she had asked.

"Apparating over long distances is dicey at best, and the Floo Networks are always so crowded nowadays," Henrietta explained. "Flying is much cheaper, and frankly better. It gives us some time to talk before we arrive."

Leticia was not sure she necessarily wanted to talk. Ever since she had discovered that her mother was not really her mother, she had heard nothing but apologies and vain attempts at explanations. Her friends all had a million questions for her, and it had been a never-ending stream of texts and attempting phone calls. For once, Leticia just wanted some proper peace and quiet.

Henrietta, however, was having none of it. "We ought to talk about the upcoming school year while we have the time," she said as soon as they were in the air.

"Do we have to?" Leticia groaned.

"Well, your situation is slightly unique," Henrietta explained. "You're twelve, which is slightly older than students when they normally first arrive at Hogwarts; based on your school records, you'll either be placed into second-year or third-year courses at an advanced level, at least for things like mathematics and the sciences. In your magical studies, however, there is a good chance that you'll be starting with students a year younger."

"Wait, so I'll be starting classes now? It's May! It's almost the end of the school year!" Leticia slumped in her seat. "Does this mean I have to retake seventh grade?"

"Well, no. Hogwarts schooling works a little differently than the public schools you're used to; Headmistress Patil has made a lot of changes in the past decade. Effectively, there are three years of coursework every student is expected to complete, a focus on the core fundamentals essential for every witch and wizard to enter into the modern age. Once you get past that, you'll be able to select classes on a pathway based on the skills you excel at and the career options you might be interested in."

"Did you go to Hogwarts?"

Henrietta leaned back in her seat and smiled. "No, I was sent to Beauxbatons when I was eleven. It is...a very different atmosphere, far more focused on magical prowess. I had to take a lot of time learning about Muggle life and technology after I left. We simply weren't taught about it."

"Oh...so Hogwarts is better?"

"I-" Henrietta paused. "I would not say better, I would just say...different."

"Did my birth parents go to Beauxbatons?"

Leticia watched Henrietta for her reaction, and was surprised when she immediately responded with: "Honestly, I don't know."

"Oh."

Henrietta shrugged. "I'm very sorry I can't be more helpful, Leticia. From what your m- from what Luna said, your father was a Muggle, so he wouldn't have attended any of the magical schools. Did she not tell you anything more about them?"

Leticia shook her head. "Nothing."

"I'm sorry." Leticia actually believed that Henrietta was sorry; she had gotten used to Luna's fake smiles and false apologies, but this woman's expression was so sincere it was difficult to remain mad at her.

"I just- why would she hide all of that? What would she have to gain from not telling me anything about my parents?" Her voice became shrill. A stewardess and a few of the other passengers gave her a strange look.

Henrietta frowned. "I don't know. Adults are...complicated. I'm sure that, whatever her reasons are, they are good. She genuinely cares about you, Leticia."

"Letti."

"Excuse me?"

"My friends call me Letti. Can you...call me that from now on? My...I mean, Luna...always called me Leticia. I'm not sure I like it anymore."

Henrietta nodded and smiled. "Of course, Letti."


	3. Diagon Alley

Several months passed in relative quiet for Leticia Lunetti. Henrietta, insistent that Letti be somewhere safe, had put her up in a room at the Leaky Cauldron. The owner, a woman by the name of Hannah Abbott, was exceptionally friendly and stopped by Leticia's room every morning to chat; after the first week, she cheerfully told Henrietta that she would not have to pay for Letti's room and board, for, in her words, "no young girl should have to worry about finances at a time like this." What exactly a 'time like this' was, she had no idea. But she was glad that she was not burdening Henrietta with her stay here.

The Leaky Cauldron was an interesting place, attracting all manner of visitors both magical and non-magical. It was always clear who was who. Non-magic folks typically tried to blend in with hilarious effect, wearing outrageously bright or obnoxious robes that no sane person would ever wear under normal circumstances. The magical folks, on the other hand, wore less obvious clothing, many choosing not to wear any kind of robe at all but donning basic tunics or dresses. There was some noticeable tension between the two groups - they tended to keep to themselves and leer at the others from across the pub.

Letti, for her part, blended right in with both groups, and found herself often chatting away with people from far-off places during her meals. One non-magical man tried to claim he tamed dragons for a living, which prompted an argument with a magical man who then claimed to actually work with dragons (based on what she had read on the subject, however, Letti was fairly certain that neither of them worked with dragons). Another time, a woman proudly boasted that she fought during the Battle of Hogwarts over twenty years ago, and drank herself into a stupor.

Most of Letti's days were spent idling in her room, reading the books on magical history and spells that Miss Abbott had given her. Henrietta had forbidden her from leaving the Leaky Cauldron, partly out of fear that she might get lost, and partly out of concern that her former guardian may try to find her and start trouble. "She kept you hidden away for so many years," Henrietta said, "Who knows what lengths she might go to to try and keep you hidden again?"

So she waited. Even with all of the books it was terribly boring, but for three long months she waited patiently. Finally, towards the end of July, Henrietta arrived on her daily visit with a letter in hand and a smile beaming across her face. "Guess what?" she exclaimed giddily.

"What?" Letti said, still too sleepy to properly appreciate the woman's joy.

"It's your acceptance letter!" Henrietta handed her the letter, shaking with excitement. "You've been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"I...really?" The fog of sleepiness vanished in an instant, and Letti tore open the letter and read the first page aloud.

"Dear Ms. Lunetti," she read, "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the first of September..." Letti turned to Henrietta. "Wait, so I have to wait another month!?"

Henrietta shrugged. "I'm afraid so. But this means that it's official! We can properly go ahead and get your things. And it came at just the right time, too."

"How so?"

"You know I've been doing a lot of digging to try and find out the identities of your parents. So far...still nothing on that front. But, I did discover that there is a bank account at Gringotts with your name on it!" She clapped her hands with excitement. "The goblins should have a record of whoever created the account, meaning we can go shopping for your supplies today and investigate a clue about your family!"

Letti's smile grew wide. "You mean you're actually taking me into Diagon Alley?"

Henrietta's grin was even wider. "That I am! Come on, get ready and we can head over there right away."

They rushed downstairs to the dining room and made their way to the back. Ever since magic had become known to the general populace, Letti had read, the entrance to Diagon Alley was no longer hidden. The bricks were open wide, and she stared in amazement as they stepped into the busy alleyway. It was so much better than the photos and videos she had seen!

As with everything nowadays, Diagon Alley was a mixture of old and new. Letti's shoes still clopped on the old cobblestone pathway. The buildings were eccentric, with some shifting forward at unreasonable angles and painted with dingy colors. Owls and ravens swooped around with terrifying speed, hooting and cawing and making a ruckus. Shopkeepers had all manner of magical methods to entice customers into coming in - dancing potion pots, singing instruments, and books that read excerpts of themselves out loud to anyone who would hear. Letti could almost feel the magic in the air; it permeated everything. Yet modern vices were also available: many people could be found staring down at cellular devices or listening to music with Airpods in their ears. Like any shopping center, the bright white colors of an Apple store could be found, the tiny entrance masking the giant space within. Letti noticed some shoppers furiously glare as they passed the place; like in the Leaky Cauldron, there was still some residual tension between groups.

Henrietta prided herself in knowing every nook and cranny of Diagon Alley, pointing out every shop and providing a lengthy detail of its history. "Ooh, and over there is Flourish & Blotts, where we'll acquire your textbooks. I actually met Ronald Weasley there once, acquiring books for his dear daughter Rose. Lovely family, though it's tragic what happened to his wife…"

"What happened?" Letti asked.

"Oh...well, it's really best I not go into details. But she passed away during the Calamity ten years ago. Anyways, here we are! Gringotts!"

The towering building in front of her looked like it was about to fall apart. Marble pillars stuck out at strange angles, barely holding up the stone sign which read GRINGOTTS BANK. People walked in and out, unconcerned about what Letti felt was an egregious structural error.

"Are you sure it's safe to go in there?" she asked.

"Of course!" Henrietta exclaimed. "Come on, we might discover some answers about your parents in there, dear!" She grabbed Letti by the hand and, with a joyous exclamation, steered her inside.


	4. The Gringotts Gauntlet

Gringotts was the first wizarding building Letti had seen that embraced Muggle technology with such fervor. Whereas the Leaky Cauldron still used oil lamps and candles, Gringotts was decked a chandelier containing a hundred tiny LEDs. The marble flooring looked ancient, and yet every so often a bright circular floor lamp issued light from below. Tall desks were decorated with thin computers and laptops, where goblins, humans, and even some elves worked diligently, eyes racing to keep up with the fast-moving screens. Ahead of them was a giant desk manned by both a human woman and a male goblin, neither of whom looked particularly cheery. A line stretched in front of them, almost to the door.

"It's so...modern," Letti finally said.

"It's a beacon of partnership," Henrietta said, continuing her role as the walking encyclopedia. "After a string of break-ins in the 90s and a whole host of goblins were slaughtered, wizards and goblins came together to ensure that Gringotts could better protect its treasures and its staff. After the Calamity ten years ago, things were really set in motion. Now even Muggles are allowed to use the bank, with some restrictions, of course." She smiled warmly at the witch in front of them, who had looked back with disdain.

"So if Muggles can have an account here, both of my parents could have been Muggles, right?"

Henrietta shook her head. "I don't think so, Letti. Those rules weren't put into place until just recently. Chances are your mother really was a witch, and with luck we'll find something inside that will give some clue as to her identity."

After waiting an hour in line, it was finally their turn. Henrietta stepped up confidently to the large desk. "Here to access a vault, please!" She slid an old iron key to the goblin sitting in front of her.

The goblin took the key and inspected it closely. He seemed confused by it. After another moment of inspection, he handed it to the woman sitting next to him, and they spent some time muttering to themselves. The woman typed something into her computer, and they both looked at it with astonishment. The goblin turned back to Henrietta. "Does this key belong to you, ma'am?" he said in a thick, gruff voice.

Letti raised her hand. "Me, sir. Well, technically it belonged to my mom...we think."

The goblin stared her down with his wide yellow eyes. "I don't know you."

"Erm...I'm sorry, I just found out I was a witch and-"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I dunno yer name. Not even yer family name. There's two hundred thousand, three hundred and seventy-six vaults in service. I know family name of every one. But not yours."

"Do you happen to know the PIN number for your vault?" the woman asked. "Anything we could use to prove your ownership of the vault?"

"A PIN number?" Henrietta became disheartened. "Oh, poo. I never found a PIN number when I was searching for things."

"Maybe it's my birthday?" Letti suggested. "Try oh-four-oh-six."

The woman typed that in. Her computer gave her a happy beep. "Well, would you look at that! It worked." She seemed genuinely surprised, but buzzed a goblin to come over anyways. "Bartleby here will escort you to your vault."

He led them down a flight of stairs to a dingy cavernous area, where multiple minecarts lay waiting. A few witches, wizards, and goblins stood by, checking different controls. Bartleby sidled up to another goblin. "Vault 815."

The other goblin raised an eyebrow. "Really? That one's off in the-"

"S'what the boss says."

"'Kay then. Here ya go."

Bartleby motioned them into a minecart. It was small and definitely didn't look safe to use. Letti paused before getting in. "Come on," the goblin said, shoving her inside. "I should warn ya, Vault 815 is in an old par' of the caverns. Old traps down there. Sure you wanna take the li'l one, miss?"

Henrietta put a comforting hand on Letti's shoulder. "It's okay if you don't want to go. I'll be sure to let you know of anything I find."

Letti shook her head. She was afraid, but she had come too far already. "I want to go."

"A'right then. Keep yer heads down!"

The other goblin pulled a lever, and they were off!

It wasn't as bad as Letti initially worried - in fact, it was akin to a small roller coaster, and a safe one at that. The caverns they passed through were surprisingly well-lit - floating lanterns kept things from being too dark. There were hundreds of tracks, and many of them were filled with other minecarts zipping around, their lights illuminating the darkness. As safe as it seemed, Letti was still grateful she never got sick on roller coasters.

She was just beginning to get comfortable when she noticed the minecart coming up to a fork in the track. To the right, the track went slightly uphill, leading to what seemed to be an area with some brightly-lit vaults; another minecart waited patiently up there, its occupants most likely perusing their belongings. To the left, the track suddenly dropped into a gaping abyss, where she could see nothing that lay beyond. Silently, Letti prayed that they would head to the right.

The cart, of course, diverted to the left hand side, launching itself into the perilous dark below.

For many minutes, she couldn't even see what lay in front of them. The dark was so intense that not even the minecart's lamp illuminated it. Her body squealed in pain as the minecart made sudden jerking motions, violent twists, and abrupt loop-de-loops. At one point she genuinely thought she was going to be sick.

Then, finally, the cart followed a flat path, and her stomach settled. The track ahead was still shrouded in darkness - the minecart's lamp only lit up a few feet of track ahead of them. She heard the sound of something rustling above and below. "Noth'n to worry about," Bartleby said in a hushed whisper. "Nightcrawlers, these are. Don't respond well to light. Minecart'll keep us safe."

A moment later, she heard a flutter just above her head, followed by something whizzing through the air, and the minecart light shattering, plunging them into abysmal darkness.

"I've got my wand!" Henrietta cried confidently, even as the sounds of angry creatures raged around them. "If only I could find it in the dark here…"

Letti closed her eyes. She could feel things ramming the minecart, trying to knock it off the track. Something clawed at her hair. She desperately wished for Henrietta to find her wand, for a light to shine and make all of these monsters go away…

There was a flash, and Letti felt the claws fall away and heard the pained screeching of the Nightcrawlers. She opened her eyes. A brilliant ball of white light was hovering over the minecart, illuminating the entire space. She caught a glimpse of the Nightcrawlers, which to her looked like a kind of giant bat, skittering away, shrieking.

The ball of light faded after a moment, but then she became aware of something else: the mark on her hand was still glowing faintly. It faded away after a moment, too, but even then she noticed that the mark was still slightly visible.

The goblin turned around. "Who did 'at?"

Letti raised her hand sheepishly.

Bartleby squinted at her. "Where yer wand?"

"I...don't have one yet."

He whistled, impressed. "Not bad fer a wandless witch. Sure you ain't got some house elf in ya?" He laughed at his own apparent joke. "Now hol' on. Gotta restart the minecart here."

He pressed something at the front of the minecart, and with a sudden jerking motion, they launched forward, flying through a darkness that, much to Letti's relief, did not last much longer. Now they seemed to be in an antechamber of sorts, with another series of different tracks criss-crossing above them. These tracks, however, were noticeably empty compared to the larger cavern from before, and the emptiness made Letti shrink into herself out of fear.

The ride continued for several minutes in relative peace, with no horrible monsters or dangerous traps being laid upon them. Letti started to feel a warm calm descending on her. It felt nice.

Henrietta laid a hand on her shoulder. "Something's wrong," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you noticed? We're going in circles." She shouted ahead to Bartleby. "What's happening?"

The goblin shrugged. "Beats me. Ne'er seen a trap li' this before."

Henrietta sat back and put a hand to her chin. Letti looked up. That nice warm feeling was starting to feel less warm and more hot. A red droplet fell out of nowhere and landed on her hand, scalding her. She shrieked, "Henrietta!"

The young woman snapped her fingers. "I've got it! Veritas revelatur!" She pointed her wand in the air as she said the spell, and the space around them suddenly changed.

The minecart was stopped at the end of the track. A river of lava ran in front of them and dumped down into a crevice below. A giant gust of wind was coming from some sort of fan in front of them, and suddenly Letti understood: some sort of charm had made them all think they were still moving, when in reality they were just sitting still!

She looked up. A stone cylinder was suspended above them, lava pouring into it from above. With horror she realized that it was starting to spill over already, and lava was beginning to run down the sides. "Henrietta!"

The woman pointed her wand backwards. "Celeritate momentum!"

The minecart launched backwards and turned a corner, and Letti saw a fork in the track where they had come from before. Unsure of where they were going, she closed her eyes. She was starting to regret coming on this particular adventure.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the minecart came to a calm stop. She opened her eyes. The track had reached a stopping point again, but this time it was against a proper stone platform. Four vaults flanked them on either side. "We're here," Bartleby said confidently.

"Are...are you sure?"

"Sure. There's yo vault right there: eight one five." He pointed, and she signed with relief. They had made it.

He led them to the door, key in hand. "Might be tricky, this one," he said. "Be best for the young witch to stand back." Letti took a step back, and he sidled up to the door, setting the key into the lock and slid his hand along a rut in the giant metal door.

The sound of large metal bolts shifting echoed about the chamber. There was a groaning sound. Finally, the door opened.

And a giant Fire Crab stormed out, claws swinging.

"Behind me!" Henrietta cried, somehow managing to grab both Bartleby and me and swinging us behind her. "Protego!"

The Shield Charm came just in time, as the enormous crustacean's claw smashed down towards them, only to be deflected off of the bubble of light that now surrounded them. The beast stumbled away from them, tripping over the minecart. A stream of fire belched from its rear end, incinerating a nearby pillar.

Henrietta moved swiftly. Letti couldn't hear exactly which spells she used over the sound of the giant Fire Crab's screeching, but four swift bursts of light later, the magical creature lay off to the side of the track, quite asleep.

"Well," she said, out of breath, "That was certainly a surprise."

Bartleby was looking strangely at Letti. "Who are ye, girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, this an awful lot'a protection. I heard Fang'ook in there - he didn' even know who owned the vault. Who're yer parents?"

"With luck," Henrietta said, putting a comforting hand on Letti's shoulder and glowering at the goblin, "We're about to find out."

They stepped through the doorway. The first room was where the Fire Crab had clearly been kept - what appeared to be the bones of Nightcrawlers were strewn about, and the Fire Crab had managed to dig itself a hole through a wall and entered another cavern. Another large vault door lay in front of them, unopened.

"What're y'all standing 'round for?" Bartleby walked between them and up the door. "Don'tcha want to see what's inside?" He rubbed his hand along another groove, and the second door swung wide open.

The vault was almost as large as the apartment Letti had once shared with her foster mother. Cubbies were embedded into the walls, each filled with a collection of gold, silver, and bronze coins - galleons, sickles, and knuts. It was enough wealth to leave Letti rich for decades, at least. But that was not what captured her attention the most. In the middle of the room, sitting atop a pedestal looking as innocent as possible, was an egg.

It was burnt-red in color, with darker maroon swashes sweeping up like waves from the bottom. The egg had a kind of aura around it, like it was magical itself. Letti walked up to it slowly, reaching out her hand.

"Ow!" She drew her hand back. The egg felt...hot. Like a stovetop.

She turned to Henrietta, who stood amazed in the doorway still. "What is this? A dragon egg?"

The young woman shook her head. "Not any dragon egg I've seen before. I don't know...but Letti, look." She pointed.

Letti followed her finger. On a wall, etched into the stone, in a miniscule font, was a name. Letti's heart fluttered when she read it. Had she found it? The name of her mother? The person who had left her all of this? She stepped forward, squinting so that she could read it.

Luna Lovegood


	5. More Questions Than Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is the mysterious egg? Why was Luna Lovegood's name engraved in the vault? And why on earth does she keep finding more questions than answers?

Letti looked down at the package in her arms, her mind going a thousand miles a minute. This egg - what was it? Why was it still so hot that she could feel it through the backpack the Gringotts people had given her? Who did it belong to originally? Why was it in the vault? And why oh why did it weigh as light as a feather?

Granted, there were other questions on her mind, too, but the egg consumed just about every waking thought. It took all her effort to not bump into other shoppers in Diagon Alley.

Luckily, Henrietta was there to guide her along, though she was not doing much better. She had her phone out and was searching for possible egg matches, muttering to herself. "No, of course it isn't a Norweigian Ridgeback, how silly of me." She swiped her phone again. "Oh, and it's far too large to be a phoenix egg."

"So Luna Lovegood is my mother?" Letti said, hoping to distract the woman from her egg hunt. "Her name was engraved in the vault."

Henrietta lowered her phone. "Oh, well, it's possible," she said, unconvincingly. "But I don't want to get your hopes up. There are a dozen reasons why her name might have been carved there, and it just seems so...unlikely. It doesn't add up."

"Do you know her?"

"Oh, I know _of_ her," Henrietta explained. "But I myself was only a teenager when the Calamity happened, and I seem to recall that she either died or went missing then."

"Oh…" Letti's shoulders fell. "So she can't be my mom."

"Well, it's not _entirely_ out of the question, either."

"What do you know about her? Her name sounds familiar to me, but I can't place it."

"Oh, goodness, my dear, what sort of history _do_ they teach you in those public schools? Where to begin? Well, Luna participated in the Second Wizarding War, fighting alongside the likes of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. She was a brilliant spellcaster, if I recall. I know she later went on and became one of our leading experts in Magizoology - she was one of the researchers who looked into those corrupted creatures that appeared in the Calamity. I believe that's when she either passed away or went missing. Many good witches and wizards were lost in those years." She stopped. "Oh! But I know what will cheer you right up: a wand! Come, put that backpack around your shoulders and let's go. The first step towards you becoming a proper witch!"

Directly ahead of them lay a crooked old shop with a bright wooden sign that read _Ollivander's Wands_ . People were streaming in and out, some magical, some not. Letti noticed a sign on the front door that read: **Ollivander's does not allow people without magical ability to purchase a wand.**

"Why don't they let Muggles buy wands?" Letti asked, as they waited to enter.

"Oh well because they can't use them! No point in giving someone a wand if they can't use it, especially not one as high-quality as an Ollivander wand."

The shop was crowded with people, young and old alike, all crammed into a small space surrounded by various counters. One counter read WAND REPAIRS, and several sad-looking wizards stood waiting next to it. Another read REPLACEMENT WANDS, and the people who stood waiting there looked even sadder, if possible. The most crowded counter, however, was the one which read NEW WANDS, where excited youngsters and their tired parents stood waiting. A young man in his thirties stood there, cheerfully selling an old woman and her round-cheeked child a wand.

The man caught sight of them, and a beaming smile broke across his face. "Henrietta! What a pleasure, what a pleasure. Has your recklessness finally caught up to and brought you here for a replacement?"

Henrietta rolled her eyes. "No, Gerald. I'm here to help someone else get their wand for the first time." She ushered Letti into view. "This is Leticia Lunetti."

The man's grin grew even wider. "Fantastic! Come, come, let me help you find your first wand." Some of the nearby patrons groaned, but allowed Letti and Henrietta to pass through. The man opened a hinged part of the counter and led the two women into the back of the shop, past row after row of wands. Several other employees were here grabbing different wands and taking them to customers.

The room he took them to was cozy, with several cushions on the floor and a shelf full of wands on each wall. "I am Mr. Ollivander," the man said, shaking Letti's hand. "Proprietor of this fine establishment. My father helped Harry Potter himself choose his wand." Mr. Ollivander had a wide grin. "Now, let's see what we can do to help you. We'll start with a training wand, sort of get a feel for your magical style."

He grabbed a plastic stick from a nearby shelf and handed it to her. "Now, just wave that around, get a feel for-"

Much to everyone's surprise, a ball of light popped into existence, hovering a few inches above the tip of the wand. It remained there for a few moments, and then vanished in a puff of particles. Letti noticed that the mark on her right hand was glowing again - this time, it did not fade away.

Mr. Ollivander was rubbing his chin. "Curious," he said. "Very curious." He turned to Henrietta. "Ms. Hazelwood, what can you tell me about that mark on her hand?"

The young woman shrugged. "Nothing yet. I've got a few experts on ancient runes searching it up."

He stroked his chin again. "Curious. The mark seems familiar to me somehow, but I cannot recall it now." He stood up. "Give me a moment. I think I have a few ideas for your wand." He stepped out of the room, silence following his wake.

Letti broke the silence. "Ms. Henrietta?"

"Yes, dear?"

"What's wrong with me?" She blinked. Tears were welling up.

Henrietta put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Oh dear, nothing is wrong with you. We'll figure this out, I promise. There is always an answer." She nudged her seat closer to Letti. "Magic is always full of surprises, and why, typically the best and brightest witches and wizards of history have felt like something was wrong with them. Look at Harry Potter! He has a mark, too, and yet now the whole world knows his name. Just because you're different doesn't mean you're wrong."

Letti sniffled. "Oh...okay. Thanks." She looked down at the mark on her hand. "You really have people looking up this symbol?"

"Yep. A few of our best and brightest at the Ministry who are experts in ancient runes. Trust me, if there's anyone who can figure out what this mark means, it's them."

"You might want to try Draco Malfoy, as well." Mr. Ollivander stepped back into the room, carrying several long boxes. "He's an expert in all things Dark Magic, and I recall that he was instrumental in stopping the Calamity. He teaches at Hogwarts now, no?"

Henrietta nodded, though she didn't seem overly fond of the prospect. "I'll check with him. So, Mr. Ollivander, what do you have for us?"

The man settled in his seat, and it seemed to Letti that he was settling into a familiar routine; his hands moved without thinking and his voice took on a louder, cheerful tone. "First up, Miss Lunetti, we have an ash wood with a unicorn hair core, nine-and-a-half inches. Just give it a flick - I'm sure that one of your talent will-"

Red sparks burst from the wand, and Mr. Ollivander snatched it from her immediately. "No, no, not that one."

The next three wands she tried had similar results, although the third wand also caused an odd wind to whip up Henrietta's hair. By the time Mr. Ollivander tried the fifth, he was starting to get exasperated. "Well, give this one a go," he said, not even bothering to describe it. He flinched as she waved it about.

Nothing happened.

She flicked it again, exactly as she had the others, and yet still absolutely nothing happened. Letti even tried recalling the feeling she had when she created the ball of light, and yet the mark on her hand remained dull. "Curious," Mr. Ollivander said. "Very curious. I'll be right back." He stepped out again.

"Is it normal to take this long to find the right wand?" Letti asked.

"Sometimes," Henrietta replied. "When I came here, Gerald's father was still in charge, and he got so frustrated with me. Took, oh, three tries to get it right, but not before I nearly set the place ablaze." She chuckled, reminiscing in old memories.

Ollivander returned with another box. "This wand," he said, "is particularly special. Over twenty years ago, after the Second Wizarding War, a young man came here seeking a wand with a unique core. He brought several basilisk fangs, said to have been discovered in the depths of Hogwarts itself. I don't know who he was, but my father was initially quite reluctant to give him a wand of that quality. In the end, my father only made the one wand, but the man never returned to acquire it. When I took over the shop, he tasked me with keeping this wand only for someone of particular import." He looked up directly into Letti's eyes. "I believe that person is you."

Letti hesitantly opened the box. A long, black wand lay inside, with a small handle made of bone. "Yew," Ollivander explained, "Ten and three-quarters inches, and a sliver of basilisk fang at its core. Go on, give it a flick."

Letti waved it as she had the others. Immediately, the mark on her hand began to glow, and the air around her turned so cold she could see her breath. She felt connected, somehow. She looked up to see Ollivander grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Excellent!" he said. "That's it. 'The wand chooses the wizard,' my grandfather used to always say. Oh, he would be so pleased right now. Come, let's ring you up."

Henrietta handled the paying for the wand, which despite the wand's unique nature still only cost the same seven galleons as any other. Letti was glad she was there - the entire time, she couldn't stop staring at the wand, paying attention to every groove and feature. She had only had it for a minute, and yet it felt a part of her somehow. The mark on her hand seemed to agree, as so long as she held it the mark remained in a state of constant faint glow.

The rest of the afternoon passed by in the blink of an eye. They bought her books, her quills ("They still use these?" Letti asked. "It's an important skill!" Henrietta replied.), and the other various supplies she needed for school. When they returned to her room, Letti had assumed Henrietta was going to leave, but the young woman instead sat down in a small chair near the bed. Letti eyed her warily. She looked like she wanted to talk.

"Let's talk," Henrietta said.

Letti sighed. "Do we have to?"

"I guess not. But I want to check and make sure you're doing okay. I know that a lot went on today. It was a quite a bit to process." She looked down at the wand that lay on the bed. "Do you like your wand?"

Letti nodded. "It feels like...an extension of me. Is that normal?"

"Of course! That's how you know Mr. Ollivander gave you the right one." Henrietta smiled warmly. "I'm glad you feel good about your wand. How are you doing about...everything else?"

Letti shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I'm frustrated we didn't find more out about who my parents were. And then there's the egg." She gestured towards the knapsack, which she had set on the other chair in the room. "I'm not really sure what to make of all this. I mean, a basilisk-core wand? A mysterious vault? Weird powers? If I'm so special, surely my mother would have been a powerful witch. Surely _somebody_ would have some knowledge about who my parents are."

"I hear you." Henrietta sighed and looked out the window. "I'm sorry for failing you, Letti. When I first brought you here, I was so sure that I would have all the answers for you by the time you got to Hogwarts. Instead, I've only brought you more questions."

"No, don't be sorry." Letti frowned. "It's not your fault my life is so complicated!"

Henrietta chuckled. "Fair point." She stood up. "I have to go now, and you need sleep; you only have a week before the train to Hogwarts leaves. But I promise, I'm not giving up yet. One way or another, we'll find your birth mother and father."


	6. Ready to Depart?

One week felt like a lifetime. While there was a lot to do to prepare - make sure she had all of the clothes she needed (like wizarding robes - real wizarding robes!), hygiene supplies, and everything she would need for her classes - realistically, acquiring and organizing it all only took a day. The remaining six days, therefore, were entirely up to her.

Her days always started with a Henrietta check-in, early in the morning before the young woman went in to work at the Ministry. On her first free day, Letti tried convincing Henrietta to let her come with her, but for some reason she wouldn't allow it. "I don't want to overwhelm you, dear," was her excuse.

After Henrietta left, Letti bounced her way down to the main dining room of the pub, grabbed breakfast, and bounced her way back up to her room. There she spent the next few hours alternating between staring at the egg and poring over her textbooks. The egg fascinated her - aside from the fact that it was in a constant state of heat, it seemed to hum with energy. Letti memorised every part of it: the way the red pattern spiraled up, how it gave way to orange and yellow. She wondered what was inside. Henrietta had ruled out a phoenix, and no known dragons had this sort of egg pattern. Not only that, but why had it been left in the vault?

She went to her books when the questions began piling up. Even if she couldn't find the answers she wanted, there was great comfort in exploring new knowledge. She was particularly excited to try out new spells with her wand, though the first time she did so resulted in a scolding about underage magic from Henrietta, who had arrived within minutes of her attempting to levitate the spellbook. "I know you're excited, but there are strict rules about underage witches and wizards using magic!" she exclaimed. "Read all you like, but you'll have to wait to practice until you get to Hogwarts."

So Letti sat back resentfully and pouted. Much to her amusement, however, she discovered what appeared to be a loophole in the whole thing: the mark on her hand. If she conducted magic without her wand, Henrietta seemed to be none the wiser. So for hours every morning, Letti practiced various spells with some measure of success. She knew it could get her in trouble, but she also knew that she was already going to be a year or two behind her classmates. Anything she could do to stay ahead was worth it.

After practicing spells in the morning, Letti would get bored and wander out into Diagon Alley, exploring all the nooks and crannies. She loved popping in and saying hello to Mr. Ollivander, who was always happy to chat (much to the frustration of some of his customers). She always loved dropping by Florean Fortescue's and grabbing herself an ice cream cone, and then sitting on a bench in front of Gringotts and watching as the people rushed past. It was always entertaining to try and guess who was magical or not. It always seemed to her that the magical folk were trying to almost hide the fact that they were a witch or wizard, whereas those without magic were always trying to make it look like they belonged. It was particularly prominent among the younger generation - older witches and wizards could be picked out of a crowd with ease.

Towards mid-afternoon, Letti would get bored with the people-watching and would make one last stop before returning to her room. This shop in particular was unique among Diagon Alley with its bright colors and careless aesthetic. Perhaps it was that which drew her to it - while so many of the shops in the area seemed to be trying to shrink back and almost hide, this one screamed "Look at me! I've got magic inside, and it's fun!" It was called Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and it was run by the strangest man she had ever met.

The first day she visited, she didn't even notice him at first. A kind of magical joke shop, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes was full of bright, colorful, distracting things. It was an assault on her senses. She stumbled around the premises, her mind simply trying to process everything that was happening around her. Even the other customers seemed boisterous, as if egged on to be so by the humorous tone of the shop. Finding a corner that was quiet and not quite so full of loud people, Letti settled and caught her breath.

That's when she noticed the candy stuck in her hair.

It wasn't the first time something had gotten caught in her hair - wild and bushy, it always seemed to attract something. But this time in particular was worse. The candy had teeth! It kept a fierce grip on her hair and growled when she tried to pull it off. Exasperated, she felt tears coming into her eyes.

"Whoa, there, let me help." A tall, red-haired man walked over with a small rubbery object. "These guys always love going for the hair. All you need to do is shock them a little and they'll let go." She felt a spark, and then the pressure was gone.

Letti turned to thank him and froze. The man wore a large eye patch across his face, which wrapped around his head.

He noticed her staring and smirked. "Just for show," he said, lifting the cloth to reveal a perfectly-functioning eye underneath. "Well, sort of. Missing my ear on that side. Just a hole. I'm hole-y, don't you know?"

Judging by his wide grin, she was supposed to laugh. Still a bit bewildered, she could only give him a slightly crooked smile.

"Ah, it's okay. My wife never laughs at that one, either." He extended a hand. "George Weasley. And you are-?"

"Leticia Lunetti." Letti shook his hand awkwardly.

"And where are your parents, Miss Lunetti?"

"Oh…" She frowned, unsure of what to say.

George nodded knowingly. "No worries. Anyone keeping an eye on you?"

"There's a woman. Henrietta. But she had to go and work at the Ministry."

"Independent sort, eh? I bet you've got an interesting story." They sat and chatted for half an hour. Mr. Weasley was a very interesting man. His ear had been blown off in a battle during the Second Wizarding War - Lord Voldemort himself had cut it off with a dagger because he wouldn't say where Harry Potter was. He had endured hours of cruel torture, but he never once gave in-

"Are you filling that poor girl's head with stories, George?" A woman of about forty walked over. "Let me guess, he told you Voldemort himself cut off his ear?"

Letti nodded meekly.

The woman rolled her eyes. "'Course he did. George, you're gonna scare away our customers if you keep telling rubbish like that." She walked away, scoffing.

George grinned. "That'd be my wife, Angelina." He glanced at his watch. "And you, Miss Lunetti, best be off back to your room before your Henrietta gets worried sick. Go on, go on!"

She came back each day, and each time George Weasley would give her a wide grin and shout, "Loony Letti, welcome!" (She found she didn't entirely mind this nickname he gave her, since it wasn't mean-spirited). He gave her a piece of candy and let her explore the store. Even though it looked so small on the outside, she found a new cranny every day, full of something new and different. On the third day she discovered a hole in the ground next to a display which led into an entirely new room full of "dark wizard" toys - really they were just the same things as above, but themed to look evil and sinister. On the fifth she found a narrow little room that was made of mirrors, but she started feeling sick just looking around in it and quickly left.

She saw him on the sixth day.

Letti admittedly felt a little silly when she walked in on that last day, the day before she was to depart for Hogwarts. She had seen the sign, she had even spoken with George Weasley, and yet until that final day she hadn't made the connection.

"You're Ron Weasley's brother!"

George snorted with surprise. "Wait, you hadn't figured that out yet?"

She shook her head, turning red with embarrassment.

"Naw, don't be embarrassed. You'd be surprised how many people don't realize it. Little bro, the legendary hero and best friend to Harry Potter." George suddenly became very sad. "It's a shame the two of them don't talk much anymore."

"What happened?"

George shrugged. "People don't always stay friends for life, Letti. And after the Calamity…" He looked up into the second story of the shop. "He's never really been himself."

Letti followed his gaze. Another red-haired man sat in an armchair on the second story, staring down at the customers below. He didn't really seem to be seeing anything, though: his eyes seemed glassy, empty. His skin was unnaturally pale and his body seemed shriveled. She shuddered. To think what would have caused someone so legendary to become so...nothing.

"Hey, enough moping-time. Roxy!" George waved a young woman over. "Letti, this is Roxy, my lovely daughter. Roxy, this is Leticia Lunetti, one of our most revered customers. Would you be so kind as to escort Miss Lunetti back to the Leaky Cauldron. She's headed on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow!"

His daughter, Roxy, rolled her eyes. "Of course, Dad."

They walked side-by-side, not speaking. Letti wasn't entirely sure what to say, anyways. She hardly knew the woman. Finally, plucking up an ounce of courage, she dared to ask: "What happened to him? Ron Weasley, I mean."

Roxy shrugged. "I don't really know. I was really young when it happened. Not even my dad will tell me. I think it has something to do with Aunt Hermione, though. She went missing during the Calamity."

"Oh."

"Anyways, here we are: the Leaky Cauldron. Hey, my dad didn't give you anything to mess with people, did he?" Letti shook her head, and Roxy let out a sigh of relief. "Good. You seem like a good kid, and my dad has a tendency to be a prankster. My first year he left a Sleepy Siren in my trunk, and it went off in the middle of the Sorting Ceremony. I was so embarrassed." She shuffled her feet awkwardly. "Anyways, erm, good luck this year!"

"Thanks."

Back in her room, Letti sat and stared at the egg. Like everything else related to magic, it was full of mysteries. She tried to run through everything she didn't know. She didn't know who her parents were and why they left her. She didn't know why she was left with a vault full of money, a burning egg, and a single name engraved into stone. She didn't know why she had a mark on her hand that seemed connected to her magic. She didn't know what the Calamity was, or why people were so hush about it.

But there was one place that might have those answers. The place she would finally be at tomorrow. The place where she might finally uncover some of the mysteries surrounding her. The thought of it filled her with excitement.

Hogwarts.


	7. All Aboard the Hogwarts Express!

On the morning she was to go to Hogwarts, Leticia Lunetti was awake long before the crack of dawn. She had hardly slept that night before, she was so anxious. She checked her belongings once, twice, fifty times. What if she forgot something important? What if she had bought all the wrong textbooks? What if she made a massive fool of herself on the first day?

The stress was too much. She spent hours pacing about the room, worry spilling everywhere. When Henrietta finally came to collect her, she was a nervous wreck.

"Goodness, what ever is the matter?" the young woman gasped.

Letti could barely speak. "What if I- what if- fool- not good enough- forget-"

"Okay, dear, just take a moment to breathe. Let's get you washed up and dressed properly. You look a right mess."

It took another hour before Letti finally felt comfortable leaving the room, all of her possessions packed away into various bags and suitcases. The egg she kept in a backpack around her shoulders that was sealed with a combination lock: there was no way she would let it leave her sight. After a quiet breakfast, Henrietta took her to the station.

"Now, are you going to talk to me about what all that was about back there?" she asked, as they strolled through King's Cross station.

"I...I'm worried," Letti admitted. "What if we made a mistake sending me to Hogwarts? What if I'm not good enough?"

Henrietta sighed. "My dear, you are absolutely good enough. Yes, you're a little behind in the spellcasting department, but based on what I've seen you do already I have no doubt you'll catch up. Not to mention that I've seen your transcripts - you were taking nearly all advanced classes in your public school. Headmistress Patil placed you in third-year Literature and Mathematics to start with - _third year_! That is exceptionally impressive, my dear, and you should be proud of who you are and what you've accomplished."

Henrietta stopped and knelt down a little, staring at her eye-to-eye. "I know you are troubled about your parents - believe me, I am, too. I promise you, though, that I will do everything in my power to help you find the answers you seek. But more than that...do not put too much stock in who they are. Their identities do not define you.

"Hogwarts is a big place, and will feel like a world all on its own. You'll make lifelong friends there, and you'll grow into the amazing person I know you can be." Henrietta smirked. "Just...don't let all of that go to your head."

Letti smiled faintly, a little embarrassed by the motivational speech. "I won't."

"Good kid. Alright, let's get you to the platform."

They sped through the crowded train station. Henrietta somehow managed to clear them a path wide enough for Letti's trolly to get through, though she had been certain it would get stuck between people. A few minutes later, they paused in front of a pillar.

"Platform nine-and-three-quarters," Henrietta murmured. "You know, I've heard so much about it, but I've never actually gone through it myself." She looked down at Letti and flashed a mischievous grin. "Shall we?"

They stepped through - it felt to Letti like a waterfall of cold water washed over her. The platform on the other side was just as crowded as the one behind, though there were noticeably more owls and robes being worn on this side. Parents gave tearful goodbyes to children who excitedly hopped aboard the steaming-red train. An attendant shouted, "Thirty minutes! Thirty minutes to departure!"

Another attendant grabbed Letti's belongings to put on the train - all but the backpack which contained the egg. Letti turned to Henrietta. "Erm, thank you. For everything. You've been so kind to me and helped me when you didn't need to, and-" She stopped, noticing that Henrietta was crying.

"Sorry, sorry! I told myself I would be strong in front of you." The young woman took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears. "Ugh, I'm so sorry. I've never really considered myself much of a motherly person, but…" She shook her head. "Goodness. Okay, wait. There's something I wanted to give you." She took out a small parcel and handed it to the girl.

Letti unwrapped it. Inside was a small phone, snuggled within a thick black case. "I know your foster mother never let you have a phone of your own. But I thought you're plenty old enough to be responsible with one on your own, so...yeah. Do you like it?"

Now it was Letti's turn to tear up. She nodded.

"Oh, I'm so happy." Henrietta grabbed Letti and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Promise me you'll text me once in a while, yeah? Let me know how things are going?"

Letti nodded. "Absolutely."

Henrietta released her. "Okay. Okay. That's enough tears. You need to go."

Letti nodded and smiled, tears still coming down her face. She turned around and headed for the nearest open door on the locomotive. Just before she hopped on, she looked back. Henrietta was waving at her, wiping away the now-steady stream of tears that were falling down. Letti gave her a cheerful, similarly-teary wave goodbye, and entered the train.

The first two compartments were completely full of kids. The third, thankfully, only had two boys, both of whom stared unhappily out of their window. They looked like twins about her age, except one had bleach-white hair and the other had a kind of murky brown hair. Nervous about meeting anyone new, but also curious about these two boys, Letti took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Is it okay if I sit in here?"

The twin on the left side, the one with the white hair, looked at her and nodded.

Letti set her bag on the shelf above and sat next to the white-haired boy. For a moment they sat there in awkward silence, both of the boys just staring out the window, and Letti twirling her thumbs.

"I'm Letti," she said at last. "Letti Lunetti."

The boy on the left turned. "I'm Lorcan Scamander, and that's Lysander. Are you a first year? I don't think we've met."

She thought about her answer. "Erm, I guess? This is my first year at Hogwarts, yeah, but I'm twelve. I didn't know I was a witch until a few months ago."

The brown-haired boy, Lysander, turned and looked at her, his eyes wide. "Whoa, a late bloomer! That's really cool!"

The entire atmosphere in the compartment changed - suddenly both boys seemed interested in what she had to say. "Erm, yeah, I guess it is. It was really weird, though. I didn't really like having to leave my home."

Lorcan nodded understandingly. "Yeah, I get that. Lysander cried the whole trip last year."

"Did not! That was you!"

The two boys bickered for a moment, and Letti let out a little laugh. They reminded her of some of her old friends back home.

"Anyways," said Lysander, turning back to their guest. "Point my no-good lying brother here is trying to make is, we get that. It's hard leaving home for the first time."

"So you both have gone to Hogwarts before?"

"Yep! This is our second year." Lorcan lifted up the sleeve of his robe to reveal a blue stripe running around it - Lysander had an orange stripe. "I'm Ravenclaw," Lorcan said proudly. "My brother's in Hufflepuff."

Letti was confused. "But wait, you two are twins! Shouldn't you be in the same house?"

Lysander laughed. "We're fraternal twins, not identical! See our hair. I get mine from our dad-"

"-and I get mine from our mom!" Lorcan finished the sentence.

"And besides," Lysander added.

"The houses don't _really_ matter like they used to," Lorcan concluded.

"What do you mean?"

Lorcan explained, "Well so the houses used to be sort of like a statement about who you are and the type of person you would be. But after wizards and Muggles started working together, it's kind of like people realized that was a bad idea."

"It made anyone from Slytherin house feel like they were destined to be evil," Lysander continued, fidgeting. "And people from Gryffindor thought they were supposed to be these great heroes."

"They still do," Lorcan grumbled bitterly.

Lysander ignored him. "So now the houses are less a statement about you as a person, and more a place for people with similar skill sets or attributes. The Sorting Hat still figures out where you need to go, but you can change houses from year to year if the Head of your house thinks it's necessary."

"I'm in Ravenclaw because I'm better at things like Transfiguration and Potions," Lorcan beamed proudly.

"I'm in Hufflepuff because I'm way better at Herbology and handling magical creatures!"

"Students in Gryffindor house tend to excel at Charms and flying," Lorcan continued.

"-and students in Slytherin are best at Divination and Defense Against the Dark Arts!" Lysander concluded. Both of the boys looked exceptionally proud of themselves for this recitation of knowledge.

"Which house do you think you'll be in?" Lorcan asked.

Letti felt a little overwhelmed by the question. "I don't really know," she said. "I mean, I've never really done much magic before or learned anything about magical creatures or potions or divination. I've been trying to read the textbooks I bought to catch up, but…" Her voice trailed off.

Lysander looked at Lorcan smugly. "Oh yeah, she's gonna be a Hufflepuff."

"Nah, bruh, she'll totally be a Ravenclaw! She just said she was reading her books _before classes even started_! Classic Ravenclaw smarts."

"Nuh-uh, she seems too nice to be a dumb-"

The boys argued like this for some time. While initially Letti was a little put-off by them trying to judge where she would go, eventually she found it rather entertaining. It had less to do with _her_ and more to do with their own pride - even though they said the houses weren't a statement about her person, it was clear that they were a little competitive when it came to the status of their given house. She sat back and watched them banter back and forth, a grin on her face.

"How about Slytherin?"

All three turned. At the entrance of the compartment stood a dark-skinned girl in green-collared robes, a wry smile curling her lips. Her hair went off in spirals in all directions, streaks of blue and green and pink giving her a very colorful appearance.

Lysander shrugged. "Eh, I think she's too cool for Slytherin."

The girl rolled her eyes and sat next to him. She stretched out a hand to Letti. "I'm Cassandra Slink. Most people call me Cassie. Are these two knuckleheads bothering you?"

Letti warmed to her immediately. "Nah, they're harmless. I'm Leticia Lunetti. My friends call me Letti."

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Letti." Cassie turned to the two boys. "How was your summer? Any interesting creatures you got to work with?"

Lorcan slunk back and shrugged, but Lysander sat forward with joy. "Oh, _did_ we! First our dad took us along on a trip to India because there were some problems with a flock of occamy. Oh, you should've seen it, they were _so_ big! And _then_ we went to Africa to study a colony of runespoor. Lorcan almost got bit! It was incredible."

Lorcan grunted with disagreement. "Yeah, but Dad ignored us almost the whole time."

Lysander shrugged. "Yeah, but that's pretty normal. At least we got to see some cool creatures!"

"Their dad is a huge magical creatures expert," Cassie explained. "It kinda runs in the family. Who was it - your granddad? - that wrote _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_?"

The boys both nodded, and Lysander continued rambling to a bemused Cassie about everything they got to see the previous summer. Letti thought for a moment - if they spent so much time seeing all sorts of magical creatures, they might know what the creature the egg belonged to. She could cross off one mystery before she even arrived at Hogwarts! But did she trust them enough with this secret? She had only just met them…

"I have something to show you," she blurted out.

The rest of the compartment stared at her, unblinking.

"Erm...sorry," she said. "I mean...there's something I want you to look at. In my bag." She hurriedly brought her bag down and set it in her lap. "So, it's a little weird, I know, and I promise I have an explanation, but-"

"GET ON WITH IT!" Lysander cried, practically bouncing out of his seat. "What is it!?"

Letti took a deep breath and lowered the bag, revealing the burning egg. She could feel its warmth on her legs through the fabric. The egg seemed to almost know it was being shown to others, as a surge of heat wafted from the center and caused the other occupants to shudder.

"Do you know what it is?" Letti asked. "Henrietta said it couldn't be a phoenix, but she couldn't find any dragon eggs with this particular pattern, either…"

Lysander leaned forward curiously. He stretched out a hand to touch the egg, but flinched back from the heat. "Whoa," he murmured. "Well, your friend wasn't wrong: it's definitely not a phoenix egg. We saw one back in-"

"- in Arizona, remember?" Lorcan said. "We were like seven or eight at the time. It was way smaller, and definitely not patterned like this."

"Any way it could be a dragon egg?" Cassie suggested.

Lysander shook his head. "None that I know of. Dad might have a better idea, but I've read up on all the different types of dragons-"

"-he was obsessed with them when we were little," Lorcan interjected.

"-and none of their eggs have this sort of pattern. It's the right size for it, though." Lysander kept staring at the egg. "Where did you even get it?"

"It was in my vault at Gringotts." Letti decided to just own up to everything. She told them about her discovering magic, about the mystery surrounding her parents, the Gringotts vault, everything. It was cathartic, putting it all out there, and she felt comfortable telling them this. None of them interrupted her or looked displeased: they just watched and listened as she explained. That is, until she mentioned the name carved into her vault.

"Wait, Luna Lovegood?" Lysander was incredulous. "But that's-"

"-our mom," Lorcan finished quietly.

Letti's eyes went wide. "Wait, _your_ mom is Luna Lovegood?"

"Was." Lorcan stared at his feet. "She went missing not long after we were born. Something to do with the Calamity. Our dad won't talk about it." Lysander nodded solemnly.

"Oh." Letti stared down at her feet, too. "I thought she might be my mom."

"Your mom?" Lysander stared at her intently. "Hmmm you do kinda look like her. Your hair is too bushy, though. When were you born?"

"April the sixth, two thousand and eight."

Lorcan shook his head. "Not possible, then. We were born in November."

Letti's shoulders fell. "Oh."

"Still, it's weird that her name was in your vault," Cassie said. "That has to mean something."

"Yeah!" Lysander agreed. "Maybe that means that she disappeared to protect the egg!"

"Or because she was protecting it." Lorcan lifted his head and put a hand to his chin, thinking. "That would make sense, actually. Somebody probably wanted the egg, and our mom died to protect it from ever getting found. I wonder if she knew who your mom was?"

"Ooh, I know who could help us!" Cassie exclaimed. "Professor Longbottom! He was good friends with your mom when they were in school, right? Maybe he knows something that could help us!"

"We could ask Professor Patil, too!" Lorcan said. "She was in Ravenclaw with Mom!"

The compartment door suddenly swung open with a violent crash, and several older boys with red-collared robes sneered in at them. "Already talking about school, Scamander?" the one in front asked. He was the largest and ugliest of the group, with a giant round chin and a face smeared with pimples. "Figures you nerds would want to talk about classes on the ride over. You just loooooove being a teacher's pet."

"Oh bugger off, McCormack." Cassie waved a hand at him dismissively.

"Hey, don't talk to my friend like that." A boy behind the first stepped forward. He was skinny and had jet-black hair that was all in a mess. "You show him some respect."

"Yeah!" The large boy, McCormack, clapped his hands together. "Otherwise there might be some problems."

"Leave us alone!" Letti stood up, still holding the egg. "Go find some other compartment to manhandle."

The boys turned their attention on her. "Someone's feel brave," McCormack said. "I don't recall seeing you around last year. Fresh meat?"

Letti leaned forward and glared at him. "You wish."

She held his gaze for longer than she thought possible. In the short time she had gotten to know Cassie, Lorcan, and Lysander, she had grown to like them. She wasn't about to let them be insulted by some bully.

McCormack turned away first and scoffed. "Dumb freshie. We've got better things to do." He smacked the egg out of her hands and left in a hurry.

"NO!" Letti screamed, fearing the egg would shatter.

But instead, the egg just bounced harmlessly against the ground, making a heavy thud as it did so. She scooped it up, wincing from the heat, and checked it for cracks. There was nothing. Despite bouncing on the floor multiple times, the egg suffered no injuries.

"That's some egg," Lysander commented.

"Who were those guys?" Letti asked, as she stowed the egg safely into the backpack and set it on the shelf above.

"A couple of fifth years," Lorcan lamented. "They're annoying."

"They're stupid is what they are," Cassie said. "Trey McCormack, James Potter, and Larry Jordan. All Gryffindor, all full of themselves, and all exceptionally annoying. They're the worst." Seeing Letti's expression, she added, "And yes, James Potter as in the son of the famous Harry Potter. He never shuts up about it."

"At least Albus is nice," Lorcan said.

"Oh yeah, Albus! He _is_ nice, isn't he, Cassie?" Lysander said, sporting a wide grin. Cassie turned away, putting a hand to cover her face.

"She fancies him," Lorcan explained to Letti.

"Do not!" Cassie swatted at him, but only managed to graze his knee.

"You doooooooo, you loooooooove him!" Lysander chanted.

Cassie successfully swatted him, and turned to Letti breathlessly. "Let's talk about...anything else, shall we? Erm, so where were you before now?"

Through some forceful ignoring and a desire to shift the topic, the conversation successfully changed and everyone in the compartment settled. Letti was glad for some relaxed chatter, and especially glad that these three seemed to have already accepted her into their friend group.

Cassie, as it turned out, was nearly as interesting as Letti herself. Born to two non-magical parents, her magic didn't manifest until she was ten years old, when her eyes suddenly turned completely white in the middle of class and she provided her class with a comforting prophesy that their teacher would die in a car accident. The incident had apparently terrified their teacher so much he stopped driving entirely for weeks after, only to be hit by a speeding semi-truck when crossing the street. Deemed a Seer, Headmistress Patil had specifically requested she come to Hogwarts to train and hone her talents. Sorted into Slytherin for her divination talents, she was already on her way to becoming a star pupil.

"Hmph! As if," Lorcan scoffed when she said that.

Lorcan and Lysander, while fairly typical by magical standards, still had an interesting childhood themselves. Growing up without a mother, and having a father who remained quite distant, they had to learn a lot on their own. Luckily they were still taken all over the world to see all manner of magical creatures, and in being left with different sitters in many places, had come to appreciate many non-magical things like video games and cell phones.

The hours spun away, until they were all startled out of conversation by a woman's voice coming over a loudspeaker. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, as it will be taken to the school separately."

Letti fretted nervously. Leave the egg on the train? But what if someone stole it?

Lysander saw her fear and patted her knee. "It'll be okay," he promised her. "Nobody ever steals anything from here, and they always get the luggage back to the right people."

She nodded, though she still wasn't entirely convinced. Deciding that it was better to move on than make a fuss, she grabbed her robes - which were still missing a house color - and prepared for the end of the ride.

The train slowed, and then came to a stop. It was the dead of night, and so almost impossible to see anything outside the windows. Everyone pushed their way through on to a tiny train platform. A cold lamp appeared above their heads, and a raspy, booming voice echoed in the night. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

An absolute giant of a man stood near an open gate, swinging the lantern wide. Letti stood still, petrified with fear. "Go on!" Lysander said encouragingly. "That's Hagrid, he's really nice!" He gave her a gentle push, and she shivered her way over to the large, hairy man.

"You a firs' year?" he asked her.

She nodded, still terrified.

"Welcome!" he said, in a great big booming voice. "How many firs' years we got 'ere? One, two, four…" He took a moment to count those standing before him. "Eighteen, fantastic! All o' you, follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down a steep path through large, thick trees. Letti felt like she was stuck in a herd of cattle, constantly bumping against everyone else in their small group. Hagrid trudged ahead of them, his wheezing breath guiding them through the darkness.

"Hogwarts'll be righ' round this corner," he said.

They paused momentarily when they came into view of it. Several of the children gasped. On the other side of a great black lake, a castle perched atop a high mountain. Every window, in every hall and on every tower, was alight, a beacon of hope and wonder.

A frightening boat ride later, and they found themselves in a passageway beneath the castle. A huge oak door stood before them, dwarfing even the giant man in front of them. He turned back to the group of children and gave them a smile. "E'ryone ready?" They all gave him a collective nod.

He raised a massive fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	8. The Sorting Ceremony

Chapter Eight

The Sorting Ceremony

The giant door swung open immediately, revealing a large entrance hall inside. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, giving the interior a spooky, medieval appearance. Letti couldn't even see the top of the ceilings, they were so high. Directly in front of them, a wide marble staircase led up to another level. At the top of the stairs stood a witch.

She looked like the kind of witch you didn't want to cross. Her long black hair was braided, and fell down below her shoulders. A cloth was draped over her shoulders and around her waist, with white stars blazing against the blue background of it: a saree, Letti recalled. She gazed at them curiously, her lips curled into a half-smile.

"The firs' years, Professor Patil," Hagrid said.

The woman gave him a small smile and nodded, speaking in a soft voice. "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." The large man turned and went back the way they had come, and the witch beckoned the children forward. They stood anxiously at the foot of the stairs.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor Patil. "Soon we will begin the start-of-term banquet in the Great Hall, but before we do, there are some things we need to discuss. Firstly, before you get to take your seats in the Great Hall, you will partake in the Sorting Ceremony. It is a time-honored tradition here at Hogwarts, to be sorted into your proper House by the Sorting Hat. During your time at Hogwarts, your House will become like a second family to you. You will have classes with your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room. The friendships you make here will last a lifetime.

"There are four Houses, each of them with a great and noble history of accomplishment and achievement, producing legendary witches and wizards of every age. The Houses are: Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. We use a point system to track positive behavior and academic success - triumphs shall earn your House points, while rule-breaking or poor behavior will cost your House points. The Heads of your House will explain this in more detail after you have been sorted."

She smiled at them. "For now, take a moment to breathe and rest. Relax: you have made it to Hogwarts at last, and soon you shall begin your studies. Wait here while I check that the rest of the school is ready for you. The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes."

Professor Patil left, and the assorted children began to chatter away.

"What House do you want to be in?"

"Ooh, I wanna be in Ravenclaw!"

"Ooh, me, too!"

"This place is so big!"

"Do you think we'll see the ghosts soon?"

"What's your name?"

Letti turned. A girl with a mess of brown hair was looking at her curiously. "Sorry?"

"I just asked what your name was." She had a thick British accent. "I'm Lily. Lily Potter."

"Oh. Erm, Letti. Letti Lunetti." She shook the other girl's hand. "Are you…?"

"Yeah. Harry Potter's my dad.

"Whaaaaaat your dad is Harry Potter?" A boy with a disgustingly runny nose sidled over. "That's so cool! I bet he's the best."

Lily shrugged. "I guess."

"I'm Max! Maxwell Diggins. But my friends call me Big D." The boy flexed his arms in what Letti assumed was supposed to be an impressive manner. The snot and general smugness, however, did not help his case, and the two girls turned away from him.

"Ugh, he's just like my brother," Lily groaned in a hushed whisper. "He's always trying to boast about how awesome he is and how great it is that he's Harry Potter's son. It's awful."

Letti recalled the train ride. "Yeah, I met him. He seems...unpleasant."

"Hey, don't diss James Potter!" Maxwell Diggins had been eavesdropping. "He's, like, the coolest guy at Hogwarts! Everybody loves him." Another boy next to him nodded in agreement.

Everyone suddenly let out a collective gasp. Several ghosts had floated through from beneath the marble staircase, chatting absentmindedly to themselves. They were pearly-white and translucent - Letti could see the top of the stairs behind them. One of them was dressed in magnificent armor - the others appeared to be in wizarding robes. They continued to float up through the high ceiling, continuing their conversation without even having noticed the first years.

"Are we ready?" Professor Patil had returned. "Form two straight lines, please, and if you have a cell phone make sure it is put away. Don't be nervous. No matter which House you are sorted to, you are a worthy witch or wizard. Come. Follow me."

The children hastened to follow her quick footsteps. Letti felt a weight in her stomach. She had heard all about the Sorting ceremony and knew that it shouldn't be something to fear, and yet fear still gripped her with cold hands. Her eyes focused on Lily's back as she followed behind her. Professor Patil led them down a hall and through another large set of double-doors.

The Great Hall was more splendid in person than in any of the pictures and videos Letti had seen before. The length of a football field, four long tables ran almost the entire length of it, each half-filled with older students. She caught a glimpse of Lorcan and Lysander Scamander sitting at different tables, and blushed when Cassie Slink waved at her from the Slytherin table. Several hundred little orbs of light floated above their heads, twinkling. Above them, the ceiling looked like it opened out to the sky, a cloudless night where the moon shone bright. The tables were adorned with silver plates and goblets, and here and there the silver shroud of a ghost sat between (or in some awkward cases, slightly inside) students. At the far end of the hall was another long table where adults sat - Letti recognized Hagrid's massive form at the end of the table, and was surprised to see a centaur next to him, its legs bent in a sitting position.

Bewildered, she nearly walked straight into Lily Potter, who had stopped with the rest of the first years. Professor Patil had stopped them just before the end of the four House tables. She whispered, "Stay put," and left them, taking an empty seat at the teachers' table.

Before them, sitting plainly on a stool, was a raggedy old hat. A wizard's hat, it looked like it had seen better days, with patches sewn in all about it. Though Letti knew exactly what this was, she still couldn't quite believe her eyes:  _ this _ was what sorted people into their respective houses?

The hat twitched and bent. Eyes formed from the creases, and a rip near the middle formed a crude mouth. The hat began to sing:

_ Old and dank I might yet be, _

_ Yet smart and quick I am, you see. _

_ Looks might not be my best strength, _

_ But come and we shall talk at length. _

_ I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, _

_ Trust me far more than bureaucrat. _

_ To your right House, we shall find, _

_ Witches and wizards of your kind. _

_ To Gryffindor, you may belong, _

_ Heart and courage there are strong. _

_ Or Ravenclaw, you might find, _

_ A person who is quick in mind. _

_ To Hufflepuff, might you be? _

_ True loyalty there you shall see. _

_ Or Slytherin, those I know _

_ Where cleverness and wit shall glow. _

_ Come, sit down, let's start the show, _

_ Discover secrets deep below! _

The entire hall erupted into a round of applause when the hat had finished. A wicked grin, it bowed to each of the four long tables, and hopped around to bow to the teachers, as well. A slight grin gracing her face, Professor Patil returned and stood beside the Sorting Hat, clipboard in hand.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat, sit on the stool, and be sorted into your House." She gave a dramatic pause. "First up: Brooks, Zayden!"

A small, freckle-faced boy walked up. Nearly stumbling on to the stool, he stared at the ground as Professor Patil set the Sorting Hat atop his head. There was a pause, and then the hat proclaimed: "GRYFFINDOR!"

A table to Letti's right exploded into cheers. One of the teachers at the front table, a round-faced man dressed in a sports uniform, let out a loud whoop and thrust his fist into the air, much to the disdain of the other teachers around him.

"Chang, Yuxuan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted again after a few moments. The other table to Letti's right released a pleasant round of applause, far less raucous than the Gryffindor table had been. Lysander shook hands with the boy as he sat down.

"Diggins, Maxwell!"

Letti groaned as she saw him sidle up, looking as proud as could be. The hat had barely a moment upon his head before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Max hopped off the table and dabbed as the Gryffindor table exploded into another round of loud cheers. Letti heard Lily groan in front of her, and couldn't agree more: Max seemed insufferable.

"Evans, Bailey" became the first new Ravenclaw and was greeted with polite applause, and "Finch-Fletchley, James" and "Folcrof, Alyah" joined the Hufflepuff table. When "Ivanson, Emery" was sorted into Gryffindor, there was again a burst of noise unlike any other. As obnoxious as they were, Letti had to admit that they certainly made their new classmates feel welcome.

"Jenson, Jett" was sorted into Ravenclaw quickly, but "Jasim, Zeena" sat there for almost a full minute before the hat made its decision to sort her into Hufflepuff. Letti noticed that most of the first-years were sorted fairly quickly - most only took a few moments before the hat made its decision.

She was barely paying attention when Professor Patil said, "Lunetti, Leticia!"

She stood frozen. It was her turn. What if she looked like a fool? What if the hat decided she wasn't worthy?

Lily turned around. "Go on, you're up."

Hesitantly, she stepped forward. She could feel every eye in the room upon her. She became incredibly self-aware of the now very visible mark on her right hand. Terrified, she took her left hand and covered the mark up.

She hopped on to the stool, keenly aware of some of the chuckles coming from the Gryffindor table. The last thing she saw before the brim of the hat covered her eyes was Lysander, giving her a big thumbs-up and a goofy grin.

"Interesting," came the hat's voice. "Very interesting. You're quite the enigma, aren't you, dear? You show guts, I'll give you that. Gryffindor could be the right place for you."

Letti thought of all the sneers and loud cheering and grimaced.

"No? Not Gryffindor, eh? You'd do well there, you know. But I suppose if not...hmm, quite interesting. Ravenclaw could use a sharp mind like yours, and I see you are already loyal to those friends you made on the train...and yet something else lurks within you."

Letti fidgeting in her seat. She was getting nervous. How long had she been sitting here?

"Interesting, interesting," the hat continued, whispering in her ear. "Something deep below I have not seen in a  _ very _ long time. There is great power in you, child? Are you sure Gryffindor is not where you'd rather be?"

She grimaced again. She heard some collective whispers from around the Great Hall, and from the bottom edge of the hat she realized that the mark on her hand was glowing again.

"Turmoil lurks within you, child. If you don't want Gryffindor, then I suppose the only choice is: SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted the last word for all to hear.

As Professor Patil removed the hat from Letti's head, she heard an echoing booing coming from the Gryffindor table. To her right, the Slytherin table clapped cheerily, desperately trying to ignore the jeers from across the hall. She caught sight of a smiling Cassie and raced over to sit next to her.

It took a moment for the Gryffindor table to quiet down, and they only did so when Professor Patil snapped at them (and, Letti noticed, the teacher who had been encouraging their rowdy behavior).

Cassie gave her a quick hug. "Welcome to the best House!" she said. Letti let out a weak smile. The sorting ceremony had drained every bit of energy from her.

There were still a good number of students to be sorted. "Morales, Jesus" also joined Slytherin, and Gryffindor had to be scolded again as he came and sat next to Letti. "Najjar, Salomon" joined Ravenclaw, with Lorcan giving the boy a high-five as he walked numbly to his seat.

"Potter, Lily!"

The school went silent. There was a noticeable tension in the air as Lily stepped forward to the hat. The Gryffindor table, for once, was completely quiet. Letti felt bad for the girl - she knew she must be feeling immense pressure.

The hat took some time with her, too. For several minutes everyone watched as she squirmed on the stool, the hat hunched over in thought. Letti realized that she couldn't hear a word that the Sorting Hat was saying to Lily, and was glad - that meant that nobody else heard what it said to her, either. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Sorting Hat proclaimed: "GRYFFINDOR!"

Letti had never heard such a thunderous applause. She was sure that the Gryffindor table was never going to quiet down. Lily ran over to the table, but Letti couldn't help but notice that her eyes were red, like she had been crying. James Potter grabbed her in a big hug, patting her head, and then high-fived some of the other boys around him.

"Ugh, I'm never going to hear the end of it at home now." Letti turned. The dark-haired boy sitting across from her had his face in his hands. "I'll forever be the odd duckling out."

Letti looked at Cassie inquisitively. "Letti, meet Albus Potter."

The boy looked up. "Pleased to meet you, Letti."

A few minutes later, when the Gryffindor table had finally settled, the Sorting Ceremony continued. "Robinson, Britney" and "Rodriguez-Lubo, Alexander" both joined Hufflepuff, and "Smith, Brandon" came to the Ravenclaw table. "Thomas Jr., Dean" joined Gryffindor with another round of thunderous applause, and the final student, "Truong, Zize," joined Ravenclaw.

Professor Patil took the stool and Sorting Hat away to the teachers' table, and a woman sitting in the middle of the table stood up. Letti paused for a moment - this woman looked almost identical to Professor Patil, only instead of the saree she wore traditional wizarding robes, with a stripe of red and blue running down the arms. "Who is that?" Letti asked in a hushed whisper.

"Headmistress Patil," Cassie answered. "She and Professor Patil are twins."

Headmistress Patil smiled warmly at all of the students. "Welcome, first years!" she said, her voice loud and booming. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I am excited to meet our fresh young faces, and to reconnect with our returning students. I shall have some more words for you, but first, let the banquet commence!"

The plates immediately became filled with more food than Letti knew what to do with. There were fancy steaks, roast chickens, sausages, bacon, giant bowls of various salads and soups, peas and carrots and broccoli galore, and piles of potatoes in various forms. Letti had never had to worry about going hungry before, but this was an amount of delicacies she had never even thought could exist in one place at the same time.

Jesus Morales, the only other first-year who joined Slytherin, began piling his plate with sausages and bacon. Other students were also already digging in, less impressed than she about the food's sudden appearance. For the first few minutes, nobody said a word, focusing only on eating the delights in front of them. Everyone had been starving, it seemed.

When ten minutes had passed, some of the students began to get chatty. Albus Potter, after devouring an entire roast chicken, wiped his lips and sat back in his seat, examining both Letti and Jesus. "Our brand new Slytherins," he said, grinning. "So tell me, what sort of trouble landed you here?"

Letti cocked her head to the side in confusion, unable to properly ask due to a mouth full of mashed potatoes.

Jesus' mouth was also full, but he had no qualms about talking anyways. "Wha' you mean?" he asked, bits of bacon spitting out on to his plate.

"I mean, Slytherin isn't exactly the 'well-adjusted heroes' group," Albus said. "Everyone here's got some sort of trauma or trouble we've had to work through. We're all miscreants and outcasts here. So why are you?"

Jesus swallowed a gulp of water and said, "Oh. Well I was supposed to start going to the Austrom Academy of Fine Magic this semester, but then my dad left us and my mom had to get a job, so…" He trailed off.

"So you came here, where tuition is free. Makes sense, makes sense." Albus nodding knowingly. "And you, Letti? What's your story?"

Letti shrugged. She had gotten a little tired of telling her story lately. "I didn't know I was adopted until a few months ago, and now I don't know who my parents are. Were."

Albus' mischievous smile turned into a slight frown upon hearing her sadness. "Oh, damn. Sorry, I wasn't trying to be a jerk." He shook his head. "My bad. Sometimes the Gryffindor in me just comes out." Some of the students next to him snickered at that comment.

"Why does everyone hate Gryffindor so much?" Letti asked, genuinely curious. "I thought Gryffindor was the home of all sorts of heroes, like Hermione Granger or Harry Potter?"

The older students nearby stiffened, and Albus' face went dark. "It used to be, sure," Cassie said, trying to dispel the silence, "but now all Gryffindor is really known for is producing A-class jerks. They just care about Quidditch and looking cool, but half of them have had to repeat classes because they failed."

"Hey, not all Gryffindors are awful." Albus was staring across the room. "My sister Lily is a good kid. She won't be like them." He frowned. "At least, she won't be if she ignores our brother. He is genuinely awful. It doesn't help that Mister Finnigan just encourages him to be as obnoxious as possible."

"Mister Finnigan?" Letti asked. She looked over to the teachers' table at the teacher in the Quidditch jersey. He was making an absolute mess on his plate without much regard for his neighbors' displeasure.

"Yeah, he's the head of Gryffindor," Cassie said glumly. "He only teaches the flying lessons, so luckily you don't have to see him much."

"Who's the head of Slytherin?" Jesus asked, grabbing another piece of bacon and stuffing it in his mouth.

"That would be Professor Malfoy." Albus pointed to a white-haired man sitting next to Hagrid. His face was gaunt and pale, giving him the appearance of a ghost. He seemed to be having a pleasant conversation with Hagrid and the centaur, though.

"Malfoy as in  _ the  _ Malfoy? Draco Malfoy, who fought off two dozen hellhounds in the Siege of Paris?" Jesus whistled. "He looks smaller than I thought he would be."

"Don't misjudge him," a nearby Slytherin said. He had bright green hair, and looked significantly older than the rest of them. "He teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he is absolutely the best of the best. A few years back some crazy dudes with guns tried to attack the school - he held them off single-handedly. He might be as powerful as the Headmistress, even."

"No way," Albus said. "Professor Malfoy is powerful, but the Headmistress is next-level. She's an Animagus  _ and  _ can summon a full-blown Patronus. Plus she helped defend Hogwarts during the Calamity after the last Headmistress went missing."

The plates suddenly cleared, and in their place a host of desserts appeared. All chatter stopped, though Letti certainly wanted to hear more about these legendary witches and wizards. She felt like there was always so much she didn't know about wizarding history, especially the Calamity. Even though she had been born towards the end of it, the war had always been so fascinating to her.

Dessert passed quickly, but instead of getting chatty, the students became lethargic and quiet. That is, except for Gryffindor, which seemed to be in a constant state of noise and chaos. When the desserts finally disappeared, the Headmistress stood up from her seat. The hall quickly fell silent.

"I hope that you have all had a wonderful banquet this evening," she said. "I want to thank our dining crew for once again gracing us with their wonderful gifts. Now, a few beginning-of-year notices before I jump into my final words.

"First, I would like to ensure that all first-years understand that the Forbidden Forest is, indeed, still forbidden for any and all students to enter. Many dangers reside there, and you would do well to avoid them.

"Secondly, I would like to remind everyone that magic between classes is strictly forbidden, unless it is prompted by a teacher for a specific educational purpose. Dueling is not one such purpose, and is strictly forbidden."

She glanced over at the Gryffindor table, a frown etched on her features.

"Quidditch trials will be held two weeks from today, under the watchful eye of Mister Finnigan. First-years are not allowed to participate unless with parent or guardian permission.

"And my final announcement: at the request of local law enforcement officers, trips to Hogsmeade are temporarily cancelled."

This final announcement drew many disappointed sighs and more than a few bitter remarks from students. "Why can't people go to Hogsmeade?" Letti asked.

"No idea," Albus said, watching the Headmistress carefully. "But if she's not telling us, it must be something bad. She usually always gives a reason for things."

Headmistress Patil waited until the noise died away. "I know this is a disappointment to many, but I assure you, it is for your own safety.

"Now, some final words. As you may have noticed, our numbers this year have dwindled - the Great Hall only sits half-full, and with only eighteen new first-year students. Our campus size is shrinking, and some sacrifices may become necessary in response.

"I do not want you to think that this is a reflection of Hogwarts itself. Hogwarts has, and always will be, a beacon of magical learning and camaraderie. This is simply a reflection of the era in which you were all born - the Calamity, which wrought destruction and mayhem among many in both the magical and non-magical communities, and the effects of which we still reel from today. It means that our numbers will probably continue to dwindle for a few more years, and we may have to combine or remove courses or extracurricular activities in order to accommodate these smaller numbers. I assure you, however, that your education will remain our highest priority.

"As you learn this year, reflect on the past, for it informs our present and our future. Seek to find what lies beneath the surface, the hidden nuggets of information that can bring you great understanding. Know that you are our future, and that because of you, our future is bright.

"But that's enough for wise words right now. Go now to your beds and get restful sleep. Prefects, aid our first-year students and guide them, please." She waved her hands, and collectively the entire Hall began to get up and leave.

"Morales, Lunetti, with me, please!" The boy with the green hair motioned for them to follow. They darted next to his side. "I'm Billy Bonivard, and I'm the Prefect for Slytherin House. Follow me, and I'll guide you to our common room in the dungeons."

He led them out of the Great Hall through a throng of students, down the marble staircase, through a door on the right, and down another long flight of stairs. Letti shivered as they walked - the temperature got noticeably colder the further down they went. "You'll want to have some winter clothing on-hand," Billy said, seeing her shivering. "Especially in the winter, it gets awfully cold down here. It's better in the common room, I promise."

They arrived at what appeared to be just a bare patch of stone wall. A few other students gathered nearby. "Reaper's delight," Billy said. The bricks in the stone wall began to shift about, forming a crude doorway. "You'll want to remember the password to get in," he warned the two first-years. "It changes every day, and the new one is posted on the board just inside." He ushered them in.

The Slytherin common room looked a bit like a royal chamber to Letti. It was large, with a curved ceiling that was broken into multiple segments. Green rugs broke up the cold stone floor, and wide green sofas already had several students lounging upon them. A few small tables and chairs were set up, and the room had no less than three lit fireplaces, which allowed the room to be several degrees warmer than the space outside. Tall windows on the far side were tinted a murky green, and Letti caught site of-

"You made it!" Cassie surprised her by grabbing her by the shoulders. "Do you like it?"

Letti grinned. "It looks really nice. Are those fish outside?"

"Oh yeah. This part of the dungeon goes beneath the Black Lake, so you can see them swimming past. Sometimes a merperson or the giant squid will even come by."

"Whoa…"

Billy cleared his throat. "Boys' dormitory is at the far end on the left, Jesus. Girls' dormitory is on the right, Letti. You'll want to stay here a moment, however, because soon-"

The entrance to the common room opened again, and a tall man in flowing black robes entered. Letti recognized him immediately by his white hair: Professor Malfoy.

He examined the crowd of students before him with a small hooked smile. "I know that many of you are tired and want to rest right now," he said, speaking to the crowd of students, "and others of you I'm sure want to catch up with friends and stay up all night since there aren't classes tomorrow. I promise, I shall keep my words brief.

"First off, I want to welcome Jesus Morales and Leticia Lunetti, our brand new members to the honorable Slytherin House. As I'm sure you've found, we're a welcoming community here, and you are bound to fit in and make plenty of friends. I am Professor Draco Malfoy, and I am the Head of this fine house. Should you have any questions or concerns that Mister Billy here cannot address, I will be happy to help."

He turned his attention away from the two first-years and directed it towards everyone collectively. "Starting tomorrow, my door will be open for my weekly scheduled conferences. This first week it is mandatory - past that, I only require one conference a month. The sign-up is next to the password on the board.

"Have a wonderful rest of your night. I look forward to speaking and learning with each of you." With a dramatic sweep of his cloak, he left, vanishing quickly through the very entrance he had come from.

"Conference?" Letti asked.

"Oh yeah, he makes us all meet with him occasionally, to check up on us and stuff," Cassie explained. "I'll show you all that tomorrow. C'mon, let's go back to the dormitory! There should be a free bed next to mine."

There indeed was a free bed right next to Cassie's. The dormitory was round and went down several more levels - despite this, it remained quite warm. The room had a total of eight beds in it, and half of them were empty. Letti gave a sigh of relief when she saw her things already waiting, including the egg.

Letti wanted to stay up and chat with Cassie about everything: about classes, about teachers, about exploring the castle. But as soon as she lay in the bed, her body sent her straight to sleep from exhaustion. That night, she dreamt of fast friends, of new chances, and of secrets that lay beneath.


	9. The First Day of Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Letti's first day at Hogwarts! But will she get the answers she so desperately seeks? Or will the mystery of her mother's identity elude her?

Letti woke the next morning to a flurry of text messages, all of them from Henrietta. Messages like:

Did you make it to Hogwarts okay?

Did you make any friends?

What House were you sorted into?

Did you eat okay?

Are you getting these messages?

With the events of that day and evening, Letti had completely forgotten about the phone Henrietta had given her, and had completely forgotten to message her back. She quickly typed out a text in response:

I'm okay. Sorted into Slytherin. Made some friends. Call later?

Knowing Henrietta, that would not be a satisfying response, but she was hoping it would at least stem any panic the woman was probably feeling. With luck, she could call her later and all her worries would be undone.

She sat up in bed and stretched. To her right, Cassie was still in a deep sleep in her bed. Two other girls slept in the beds on Cassie's other side - Mallory Ivanson and Lindelle Smith. She hadn't gotten to know them as well as Cassie, partly because they were both in years above them.

The emptiness was strange to Letti. She had gotten used to public schools, with halls that felt more like being herded like cattle than any meaningful human interaction. But here everything was so wide-open, so freeing.

Part of that, she knew, was just because the number of students attending Hogwarts was really low. With the advent of many new magical schools, and a general reduction in birth rates around the time of the Calamity, there just weren't as many students to attend magical schools to begin with. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it did mean that she was going to need to try and get to know the other students a lot better than she had before. Slytherin in total now only had thirty-four female students, according to Cassie. In public school, many of her individual classes had more students than that.

She put on a glove and grabbed the egg, crossing her legs and setting it just in front of her. There was a part of her that had hoped the egg might hatch simply by being in the presence of so much magical activity, and yet nothing really had happened at all. It was still a mystery as to what lay inside, why the egg had been left for her in the vault, and what purpose the creature inside was meant to serve. Perhaps she would never find out…

She shook her head. There was no time for such thoughts. She was at Hogwarts now!

She set the egg carefully at the foot of her bed, got dressed quickly, and darted up to the common room. Very few students were already up, as it was somewhat early in the morning. Letti's body was still used to the morning routine she had adopted at the Leaky Cauldron, and while she was sure her lack of sleep would catch up with her tonight, for now she felt fine.

Albus Potter was lounging on one of the ornate green couches, a book in one hand and his wand in the other. He kept repeating the same phrase, but too quietly for Letti to hear. She nervously stepped closer.

There was a sudden loud cracking sound like that of a gunshot, and a gust of wind blew inches away past Letti's face. She immediately dropped to the ground, pressing her face to the ground and placing her hands over her head.

The sound of laughter echoed from the couch. She looked up. Albus was practically rolling around on the couch, clutching his stomach and bawling with glee. Letti stood up and brushed herself off, her face red with both embarrassment and anger.

"You should be more careful!" she snapped. "You almost hit me!"

Albus wiped a few tears away from his face. "Oh, I've been trying to get that spell for weeks. It's just an Air Gust spell, Letti. Harmless unless amplified."

She tried to smooth her nest of hair, which had become even more of a mess in the fiasco. "Well...still. You should be more careful when you're practicing spells like that."

Albus rolled his eyes but said, "Alright, alright. You've got me there. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She finished brushing herself off and looked around. Luckily, the other students in the common room were either too preoccupied with what they were doing or were too sleepy to have paid any attention.

The sound of running came from behind her, and Cassie leapt to her side, wrapping one arm around her. "First night in Hogwarts, what what!" she cried. Upon seeing Albus, her eyes went wide open and Letti heard a small  _ eep!  _ leave her lips.

"Hey, Cassie," Albus said nonchalantly, seemingly unaware of her sudden change in behavior.

It took a gentle nudge from Letti for Cassie to find her voice again. "Oh, erm, hey, Albus."

"Smooth," Letti muttered under her breath.

Cassie gave her a gentle shove and turned back to Albus. "So...how was your summer?"

Albus had returned to his book. After a moment of awkward silence, he looked up. "Hm? Oh. It was alright. James was a pain, as usual, and my parents spent most of it fussing over Lily since it's her first year here." He paused for a second, in thought. "I should probably go check on her this morning. Who knows what sort of hazing they put her through last night." He slammed his book shut, tucked his wand into his pocket, and was gone without a second thought.

"Oh, y'know, my summer was great…" Cassie's voice trailed off, her shoulders sagging.

Letti put a comforting hand on her shoulders. "What did he mean by hazing?" she asked, hoping to distract her friend for a moment.

Her attempt was successful. "Gryffindor House always torments the first-years on their first night," Cassie explained. "Nothing violent, but it's always mean-spirited. One year the older kids moved the first-years beds' into one of the courtyards while they were asleep. They all woke up with everyone staring at them in their pajamas."

"That's allowed?" Letti was suddenly very grateful for the lack of attention she had been given at Slytherin.

"Not really. Headmistress Patil takes away points from them every year and gives some of them detention, but it hasn't really stopped. I'm pretty sure Mister Finnigan is the one responsible for it. C'mon, we should head to the Great Hall for breakfast."

Letti frowned. The more she heard and saw of this Mister Finnigan, the less she liked him.

As they walked through the entrance to the common room, Cassie smacked her head and walked back around the corner. "I forgot to show you the board! Here." A large cork board was nailed into the stone wall. Various pages and papers were plastered on it, as well as a small white board. "See that paper in the top corner? That's where they post the password to get in each day. Make sure you check it. So today's is Toil and Trouble." She pointed at the white board. "And that is where you sign up for your conference with Professor Malfoy. Looks like most of the early spots are taken, dang. Just a few spots left a few days from now."

They signed up for spots two days from then, and began making their way to the Great Hall. "What is he like, Professor Malfoy?" Letti asked.

Cassie shrugged. "He's cool, I guess. He tries really hard to get to know us and check in on us and everything. Wants to make sure we're actually doing well in our classes. I've only ever seen him get really mad once."

"What happened?"

"James Potter challenged his brother to a duel and threatened to use some really bad spell. I don't remember what it was. But Malfoy was livid. Thought for sure he was going to hex James himself. Luckily Professor Longbottom was there, too, to help put an end to things."

Like with Mister Finnigan, Letti's opinion of Albus' brother was definitely not getting better. Overall, her opinion of Gryffindor as a whole was rather tainted. She understood why Albus had been so concerned about his sister.

They arrived at a Great Hall that was still rather empty, aside from a few scattered students. Headmistress Patil and her twin were sitting at the teachers' table and were alone aside from another teacher who sat at the far end wearing brown robes and a white smock. "Who is he?" Letti asked.

"Who? Oh, that's Professor Longbottom. He's nice." Cassie seemed hardly interested. "Ooh, they have cream tarts today! Letti, look."

Breakfast passed in relative peace, with sleepy-eyed students tricking in to get some food before the day began. A few professors arrived, too - Professor Malfoy greeted Professor Longbottom before taking his seat beside the Headmistress. They chatted amicably for most of the morning, Letti noticed.

Cassie was distracted the entire breakfast, her attention constantly going back and forth between her phone and the large double-doors of the Great Hall. Each time someone new came in, she would focus on them for just a moment before slumping her shoulders and turning back to the table. Letti was pretty sure she knew who Cassie was waiting for.

"Where are Lorcan and Lysander?" she asked, hoping to distract her lovestruck friend.

It took a minute for Cassie to respond - she was still craning her neck towards the doors as a few more classmates wandered in. "Hm? Oh, those two? They're probably down at Hagrid's already. They hardly ever have breakfast up here."

It took ten additional minutes for Cassie to finally give up waiting and to agree to go down to Hagrid's hut with Letti. "I'd go myself, but I have no idea where anything is around here," she reasoned.

Cassie begrudgingly led her there, though Letti could tell that she was still not fully distracted. She seemed to be in a haze, nearly bumping into walls or fellow students as they worked their way through the castle. Letti herself was distracted just by, well, everything. The moving paintings that watched them in hushed whispers (and sometimes shouted greetings in foreign languages), the ghosts that glided in and out of halls, and the other students who seemed so at ease with their surroundings. She couldn't wait for the day when this all felt normal.

Outside, the air was cool and brisk. Letti shivered - living in Texas, the weather was never this cold in September. She regretted not wearing her winter coat that morning.

It was also the first time she had a chance to truly appreciate her surroundings, as they had arrived to Hogwarts under the cover of darkness. Mountains surrounded them on all sides: tall, wide ones that were green with trees. Even though the sky was full of clouds, the Black Lake glistened in the sunlight. Students were not the only ones out and about in the fresh air: several centaurs wandered along the opposite side of the lake; sparrows twittered in the treetops; and all manner of woodland creatures, ranging from chipmunks ro rabbits, darted about on the ground. She took a breath of air. Everything felt full of magic.

Beside her, Cassie still looked miserable. Letti frowned. If being outside and experiencing all of  _ this _ didn't cheer her friend up, what could?

They rounded a corner and caught sight of a hut down the path, at the bottom of a steep incline. The hut looked like it had been in a sorry state for some time: the dark wooden roof was half caved-in, and a gaping hole in the side presumably used to be a doorway. A garden patch just outside was in even worse condition.

"I thought someone lived there," Letti commented.

A mischievous smile crossed Cassie's lips for the first time since they had left the common room. "Just wait," she said.

The closer they got, however, the more concerned Letti became. The hut was in absolute ruins. Bits of rubble were strewn everywhere. Charred chunks of rock lay in a small pile. The rotting remains of pumpkins littered the ground, and Letti shuddered at what she was pretty sure were the bones of a small animal. "Is this some sort of prank?" she said. "Like what Gryffindor does to their first-years?"

Cassie snorted and shook her head, but added no additional explanation. She led her all the way right up to the hole in the side of the structure, ducked beneath a low-hanging beam, and turned around. "C'mon!" she insisted. "I promise this isn't some sort of hazing ritual." She stretched out a hand.

Letti grasped it nervously. "Okay…"

The interior of the hut was no better than the exterior. In fact, given the number of flies and other bugs that inhabited it, Letti argued that it was much, much worse. She pinched her nose as Cassie led her over to a hole in the floor.

"Geronimo!" Cassie suddenly jumped into the hole in the floor and vanished.

"Cassie!" Letti leaned over to look down. The hole went on further than she could see. Her friend was gone.

"Just jump!" Cassie's voice echoed from below, though it sounded very close. "It's safe, I promise!"

Letti hesitated. Falling into a dark abyss didn't exactly seem like the safest option…

"Just go!"

Letti took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped.

The fall was much shorter than she had expected. In fact, she only fell for a split second before landing on something soft and springy, bouncing off of it, and falling on to...grass?

She opened her eyes. A wide-open green field stretched out for a mile in front of her, bright and sunny as if she were simply outside the entire time. To her left, a group of trees that looked remarkably like the Forbidden Forest was shrouded in shadows. To her right, a rocky desert landscape extended for a mile. Lorcan and Lysander Scamander stood a half mile away - next to them, on a chair that seemed like it was about to burst, sat Hagrid. Another man wearing khakis and a helmet was crouched on the ground examining some sort of creature.

Cassie helped her to her feet. "Wha-" She stared at Cassie. "How?"

Cassie chuckled. "It's an Extension Charm. This is where Care for Magical Creatures class takes place! Isn't it amazing?"

"Yeah…" Letti still was having a hard time believing what she was seeing. Looking back, it appeared as if she had come from a small outhouse in the middle of the plains, with a giant mushroom sprouting just beneath a suspiciously large pipe out of the top. "How do we get back?"

"Oh, there are gates all over here that lead to various places around Hogwarts. I'll show you later." Cassie waved to the others. "Lorcan! Lysander!"

The two boys turned upon hearing their names and broke into an immediate grin. "Letti, you made it!" Lysander said. "Isn't this place just-"

"-the best?" Lorcan finished.

Letti grinned. "It's pretty cool."

"Glad ter meet ya." Hagrid extended a giant hand, and Letti shook it. When she had first met Hagrid in the dark, he had seemed terrifying. Now, in the light, he just seemed...old. Grey hairs freckled his beard and mangy hair, and every movement of his body seemed to come with excruciating pain. "Yer a firs' year, ain't ya?"

Letti nodded.

"Letti, look!" Lysander jumped between them and pointed. "Have you ever seen a jackalope before?"

As it turns out, she had not. A bunny-like creature stood on the grass silently, its nose sniffing the air as the khaki-wearing man scratched its back. From its head sprouted a pair of antlers, which while large compared to the bunny still did not reach Letti's hip in height. It was a comical-looking creature.

The khaki-wearing man stood up, and the jackalope bounded off down the field. "'ello there," he said, his voice thick with an Australian accent. "Randolph Irwin, Teacher of Care for Magical Creatures, at yer service. An' you are?"

"Letti Lunetti. Erm, student at Hogwarts."

The man laughed and slapped his knee. "I like this one," he said to the twins. "You care to help me out with the occamy later, Lysander?"

"Boy would I ever!"

"A'ight. I'm gonna head up to the Great Hall, then. You good, Hagrid?" The large man gave a gentle wave. "A'right. I'll be off. La'er, Miss Lunetti." He walked off towards the shadowed forest.

Lysander had a grin as wide as a watermelon stretched across his face. "He's the best!"

"'ey now," Hagrid said with a wheezing chuckle. "I though' I was the best."

Lysander looked mortified. "I mean, of course you're awesome, Hagrid! I-"

"Lys, he's just messing with you." Cassie rolled her eyes.

Lorcan sidled over to Letti as Lysander continued to apologize to Hagrid. "So, how are you liking Hogwarts so far?"

"It's...big." Letti was still feeling a little nervous after her encounter with Professor Irwin. "I'm not sure I'm going to be able to find everything. Directions aren't exactly my strong suit."

Lorcan grinned. "Hey, Lysander! We need to give Letti the grand tour!" He nudged her playfully. "C'mon, we'll show you around."

"That was  _ my  _ job!" Cassie complained.

"Yeah, but we'll do it better." Lysander stuck his tongue out at her. "We're more fun."

"I can be fun!"

The group said goodbye to Hagrid (who Letti thought looked grateful for some peace and quiet), and the twins led them towards the dark forest. Letti didn't like the look of it - the trees seemed too big, casting ominous-looking shadows. She swore she saw something crawling around up in the branches. "Is this safe?"

"Oh yeah," Lysander said. "Professor Irwin never lets anything dangerous just wander the Wild Zone. All the dangerous stuff is kept to their own bubbles."

"Wild Zone?"

Lysander swept his arm in an arc. "This big open area is called the Wild Zone. A lot of critters here can just wander around freely without having to be contained, because they don't pose a threat to themselves or us. I think Professor Irwin said it was twelve square kilometers?"

"Fourteen," Lorcan corrected. "Headmistress McGonagall gave him permission to make this place just before the Calamity. A lot of magizoologists like our dad come here to study the animals, since it's such a safe haven. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Yeah…" As they entered the forest, Letti looked up at the menacing trees. "So how exactly do we get out of here?"

Lysander grinned. "Just up ahead."

They continued walking for a minute more before coming across a large grove. At the edge of the space were twelve stone doorways, which to Letti seemed remarkably similar to the formations she had read about in books about Stonehenge. In front of each of the doorways was a stone pedestal. At the center was a large triangular platform surrounded by a thin, round river of water, which connected to the outer stream by three straight rivers at each of the corners of the platform. Atop the platform was a statue depicting a dragon-like creature with feathery wings.

"We call this the Dragon Circle," Lysander proclaimed. "Named after the awesome statue, of course. Each of these doorways leads to a different part of Hogwarts." He looked back at Letti, clearly hoping she would be impressed.

She was. "So how does it work?" she asked. Each of the doorways appeared empty.

Lorcan took over, whipping his wand out with dramatic flair. "All you've got to do is tap the pedestal in front of the doorway you want to open and say 'Aperiam Portal.' You have to be fast, though, because the gates don't stay open for long."

"Professor Irwin put little notes at each one so you know where you're going," Lysander added. "For example, this one will take you right in front of the Great Hall. This one leads the dungeons, that one to the Quidditch field, that one over there goes to-"

"What about that one?" Letti pointed to a doorway on their left. The pedestal in front of it was broken, half of it completely missing.

"We don't know where that one leads," Lysander said, frowning. "Professor Irwin won't tell us, either, but I think it's because he doesn't know, either."

"How could he not know? Didn't he make this?"

"He made the space, but not the Dragon Circle," Cassie said. She was leaning against one of the doorways. "I asked Professor Malfoy about it once. He told me that sometimes when wizards try to do huge feats of magic like this, the magic goes wild and does things of its own. Hogwarts is full of it - with so many powerful witches and wizards in one place, wild magic takes root. Pretty cool, huh?"

Letti nodded, but inwardly she was freaked out. Magic could just do things on its own accord? The very thought was terrifying.

"So where do you want to go?" Lysander asked. "We could go to the Astronomy Tower, the Quidditch field-"

"Oh, let's go visit Professor Longbottom in the greenhouse!" Lorcan suggested. "She should get to meet a Gryffindor who's actually nice. Plus we need to catch up with him!"

"You guys go knock yourselves out. I'm gonna head back to the dormitory and catch up with some people." Cassie walked over to a pedestal, tapped her wand, and said the words, "Aperiam Portal." The gateway suddenly became filled with light, and then an image of the dungeons appeared. Cassie was quick to hop through - a few seconds later, the gateway closed and became empty.

"She's just gonna go mope over Albus," Lorcan groaned, after the gateway closed.

"Should we...go after her?" Letti suggested. She didn't want to just leave her friend alone, especially if she was going to be sad.

"Nah, she'll be okay." Lorcan walked over to the pedestal next to the one Cassie had used. "She gets like this from time to time, always after trying to flirt with Albus. Give her a few hours, and she'll find us to try and have some fun."

"C'mon! Let's go to the greenhouse." Lysander shoved his brother aside and activated the pedestal. He and Lorcan grabbed Letti by her arms and pulled her through.

There was a strange sensation as if every part of her was being pulled in every direction, and then suddenly she found herself in a Hogwarts corridor. It was not a part of the castle she recognized.

She spun around, expecting to watch the portal disappear. Instead, she was met with an empty stone wall. "Did it vanish already?" she asked.

"Nah, the portals are one-way only," Lorcan said unhappily. "Trust me, it would be great if we could use them to zip around the school faster, but the pedestals and gates only exist in the Wild Zone."

"C'mon!" Lysander tapped his foot impatiently. "Let's go say hi to Professor Longbottom."

He dragged them through a door that led outside. Four long greenhouses sat in a field that was filled to the brim with different potted plants. To the right, against one wall of Hogwarts castle was a wide flower garden filled with flowers of every color imaginable - giant butterflies the size of her hand fluttered about. To the left, a host of creeping vines wound their way up the ancient stones, with blooming white flowers breaking up the dull exterior. A few students were sitting in the grass having an apparent picnic. Letti looked around happily. This was the sort of magical place she could get used to.

They followed Lysander to one of the greenhouses, where he knocked on the door. "Come in!" sounded a tired male voice.

They entered, and Letti felt her body immediately become damp with sweat. It was warm! The greenhouse was home to two long tables that ran nearly from end to end - they were presently empty, but various potted plants hung from wrought-iron hooks above them. It was these plants that the man, whom Letti recognized as Professor Longbottom, was caring for, sprinkling something from a leather pouch into the pots.

"Good morning, boys!" he said. "Ah, and someone new…" His voice trailed off as he caught sight of Letti.

"This is Letti, Professor Longbottom!" Lysander's voice cracked with excitement. "She's new here, and we were showing her around and wanted her to meet you!"

The professor set down the bag he had been holding. "Yes, well, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lunetti. I'm afraid I don't have much time to chat - plenty of plants to take care of. I'll be seeing you." In an instant, he was out the other side of the greenhouse.

"That was weird," Lorcan said, punctuating the exact feeling Letti had herself. "Normally Professor Longbottom loves to just chat."

"Maybe he really just had somewhere to be?" Lysander suggested.

Letti let out an exasperated sigh. "I think it was me," she said.

The twins looked at her incredulously. "Ridiculous!" Lysander cried.

"Preposterous!" Lorcan added, causing them both to giggle for a moment.

"Letti, why would he leave because of you?" Lysander said. "You just got here, and you're a really nice person! You're exactly the type of person Professor Longbottom would  _ want _ to meet and talk to."

Letti shrugged. "I don't know, but it seemed like he got spooked when he saw me. Like he already knew who I was or something."

"Well of course he knows who you are, he would've seen you at the Sorting Ceremony last night." Despite his optimism, Lorcan still rubbed his chin with displeasure. "But it was weird how he fled as soon as he saw you…"

Letti snapped her fingers. "I bet he knows who my mother was! I probably look like her, and he recognized me because of that!"

Lysander's eyes went wide. "Ohhhh yeah that could be it! We should go and find him and try to talk to him about it!"

Lorcan held up a hand. "Look, I hate to be the voice of reason here, but…"

"Nooooooo don't 'but'!" Lysander whined. "Don't be a buzzkill!"

"I know, I know, but it doesn't seem like a good idea to try and hunt down one of our professors. Especially you," he said directly to his brother. "Professor Longbottom likes you because Herbology is one of your strongest classes. The last thing you need is to get him on your bad side. Why not just try to talk to him during class one day?"

"I guess…" Letti's shoulders slumped. It felt like she kept getting so close to finding out the truth, only to be held back by something out of her control. "What should we do now?"

"Well...you haven't seen the entire castle yet, have you? We need to show you around properly!" It was clear Lorcan was trying to cheer up her - and her brother, who was looking equally down - by distraction. She recalled doing the exact same thing to Cassie earlier.

"Okay. What would you suggest?"

"-so then they showed me all of the classrooms and stuff. Hogwarts is really really big. I don't know how I'll avoid getting lost on my way to class."

It was later that evening, and Letti was sitting at the foot of her bed, talking on the phone with Henrietta. The young woman had been ecstatic to hear from her.

"Oh, don't worry, dear, I'm sure you'll know your way around in no time. I remember my first few days at Beauxbatons - it felt like I had been dropped into a labyrinth! But it quickly felt like home, and I'm sure it will for you, too. It sounds like you've already started making some friends."

Letti looked over at Cassie, who was snoring quietly in her sleep. Letti's lip curled into a small smile. "Yeah, I have. There's a lot of great people here. Lorcan and Lysander have been really nice to me all day."

"That's wonderful, dear."

"What do you think about Professor Longbottom? Is it possible he knew my mother?"

She could hear Henrietta's exasperated sigh on the other side of the phone. "I suppose. He certainly could have been involved in fighting the Calamity - I seem to recall hearing stories about his exploits during the Second Wizarding War. I wouldn't try to bother him though, dear. I promise, I'm using every avenue I have available to try and discover who your parents are."

"I know." Letti felt disheartened again. Again, so close, and yet so far.

"Hey. Buck up, dear, it will all turn out fine. What's on the agenda for tomorrow?"

"Cassie wants to take me to the top of the Divination Tower tomorrow, and for me to meet Professor Lapithes. He's helping her to be a proper Seer."

"That sounds lovely, dear. Use tomorrow to rest a little. You don't want to overdo it."

"Will do. Thanks. I'll call you tomorrow?"

"Please do. Sweet dreams."

"Bye."

Letti collapsed backwards on to her bed, letting out a long, deep sigh. She had been so sure that Hogwarts would give her the answers she sought. And yet, despite being here surrounded by so much magic and so many people who could give her the information she so desperately wanted, she was still left with that one, burning question:

Who was her mother?


	10. The Dark Arts Professor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Letti meets with Professor Malfoy, who inspires fear as she realizes he might just have some answers for her. But the truth might be less enjoyable than she thinks...

The second day passed by in a whirlwind. Much to her word, Cassie took Letti to the top of the Divination Tower, where she showed her all the different tools and resources Professor Lapithes was giving her to hone her Seer skills. There were crystal balls, tea leaves, special herbs she had to grind together in a mortar and pestle. All of that was interesting, but the most memorable part of the day was Professor Lapithes himself.

Letti had never seen a centaur before. From far away they seemed unreal, like a hazy memory. Up close, though, Professor Lapithes was terrifying. He stood seven feet tall, easily, and dressed himself in blue mesh that surrounded his horse-torso. His human torso was covered with a black shawl, which was adorned with stars that seemed to twinkle all their own. Letti had no difficulty believing that this was a being of magic.

Lapithes did not coddle his star pupil. The first thing he said to Cassie when she brought Letti to see him was, "Have you been practicing your meditation skills?"

Her shoulders had slumped immediately, and her joy vanished in an instant. "Erm...not really."

He shook his head, speaking in a slow, calm voice. "You must practice, Cassandra. You will never realize your full potential as a Seer. Come, let us meditate together." And thus Letti had found herself sitting in a cold, dark room with this terrifying magical entity for over two hours, Cassie all the while moping unhappily.

When she awoke on the third day - the final day before classes began - Letti swore to herself that she would have a happier day. She felt confident that she could find her away around without getting completely lost now, and Lorcan and Lysander had promised to show her some really cool magical creatures that Hagrid and Professor Irwin cared for in the Wild Zone. Maybe Cassie would even join them and for once not be pining after Albus, who Letti hadn't seen since he embarrassed her in the common room. She dressed herself in the robes that were already beginning to feel like a part of her, checked briefly on the burning egg (nothing new there), snatched up her wand from its place at her bedside table, and strolled out confidently into the common room to check the day's password.

It was there she noticed the schedule.

She smacked her forehead. Drat! She had forgotten she had signed up to meet with Professor Malfoy. All the day's plans suddenly vanished in a sea of hopelessness. She wasn't sure  _ why _ she dreaded meeting with the Head of her house, but something about him irked her.

Part of it, she realized, was that she had grown uncomfortably familiar with disappointment. Since arriving at Hogwarts, she had tried desperately to discover information about her mother, to no avail. Professor Longbottom had avoided her at every turn, and even after spending several hours in the library scanning through various ledgers of past students, she found nothing. Professor Malfoy was perhaps one of the last sources of potential information that she knew of - if he wouldn't tell her anything, how would she ever discover the truth?

That wasn't all, either. All the stories she kept hearing about him made her shiver: how he had used to be a Dark Wizard, serving under Lord Voldemort in the Second Wizarding War; how, after losing his wife to a Calamity creature, he had redeemed his name by becoming a legendary fighter, saving thousands (if not millions) from disaster; how he had retired himself to teaching at Hogwarts and become a revered professor. Each story only compounded the aura around him; how on earth could she expect him to tell her anything? Truthfully, he intimidated her, more so than even the mysterious Headmistress Patil.

She hastily ate her breakfast in the Great Hall and raced back to the dormitory, where Cassie was just waking up.

"Quick, how do I get Professor Malfoy to tell me about my mother?" Letti asked, her face inches from her friend's nose.

"Zzwhat, oh, hey," Cassie snorted groggily, wiping her eyes. "What's going on?"

"Professor Malfoy. I'm meeting with him today. How do I get him to tell me about my mom?"

Cassie stretched and let out a wide yawn. "I 'unno, Letti. Just...talk to him?"

"Just...talk to him?" Letti sat back on her bed. "How can I just talk to him? He's like...a wizarding hero. What if he says no?" Her hands started to shake a little.

Cassie snapped into awareness. "Whoa, slow down, girl." She put her hands on Letti's shoulders. "Just breathe, just breathe. It's not the end of the world. You're just gonna talk to a teacher, okay?"

"But what if-?"

"Okay, time to calm down, homegirl. Hey, y'know what? I had some really good dreams with you in them last night. As a Seer, you know what that means?"

"Doom and destruction?"

Cassie chuckled. "Surprisingly, no. It means you're gonna have a good day. Just talk to him. I promise you, you'll like Professor Malfoy. He's scary at first, but he's really a nice person."

Letti's breathing slowed. She felt better already.

"When's your meeting?"

"In about twenty minutes."

"Oh!" Cassie seemed surprised. "Okay then, well you gotta get going! You don't want to be late."

"Right!" Letti started walking toward the door. Then, she paused, turning back to her friend. "You just made all that up about the dreams, right?"

Cassie laughed. "Oh, absolutely."

Letti let out an exasperated sigh and made her way up to the common room. It was empty now - everyone was enjoying their last day outside or sleeping in, she reckoned. The only sound was that of the lake outside the window, of some seaweed slapping against the glass.

Professor Malfoy's office was also in the dungeon, she had learned yesterday. It was next to his classroom, which used to house the old potions class many years ago. While the part of the dungeon just outside the Slytherin dormitory was bright and well-lit, the further down one went (and thus the closer to Professor Malfoy's office) the darker and more ominous it became. The temperature dropped significantly, and even the lights seemed a little more dim than normal, flickering and creating creepy shadows to dance along the walls. She clutched her arms around her torso, shivering with both fright and cold.

She had become so focused on the shivering that she nearly walked right into Headmistress Patil.

"Oh!" Letti said. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention and I-"

"It's okay, it's okay." The headmistress looked flustered, straightening her robes. "Ah, you are Leticia Lunetti. I've heard quite a lot about you from Miss Hazelwood. I look forward to seeing your progress this year. Are you going in to see D- Professor Malfoy?"

"Yes, ma'am." Letti nodded fervently. She was glad it was too dark for the headmistress to see her blushing.

"Excellent. Well, he is just in there." Headmistress Patil pointed towards a large steel door. "Have a wonderful rest of your day, Miss Lunetti." With a swish of her robes, she was down the hall before Letti even had a chance to thank her. She thought it odd how so many of the adults seemed to be in such a hurry to get away from her.

She walked up the large steel door and knocked on it thrice. A few moments later, she heard someone shout, "Come in!" Hesitantly, she opened the door.

The office was larger than she was expecting, being almost the size of one of her old public school classrooms. Compared with the part of the dungeon immediately outside, the room was bright, with bright green drapes and Slytherin flags adorning the walls. Short bookshelves lined the walls flanking the door, and were filled to the absolute brim with tomes of various sizes. Atop the shelves were various objects - old photographs, ancient spyglasses, and even a stone tablet. A giant oak desk sat at the back of the room, and sitting behind it, reading from a rather large tome, was Professor Malfoy himself.

When he looked up from his book and saw Letti standing there, his eyes lit up. "You're early!" he exclaimed. "Very good, very good. Punctuality is exceptionally important. Please, sit." He motioned towards the two smaller chairs that sat in front of the desk.

Letti hesitantly stepped across the ornate green rug and sat in the chair. It was more comfortable than she had expected.

"So, Leticia Lunetti," Professor Malfoy said. "Do you prefer Leticia? Or do you go by something else?"

"Erm...Letti, Professor."

"Letti? Fantastic. I will remember that." He set the book down on the table and leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "Well, Letti, do not be intimidated. This meeting is just a formality I take at the beginning of each year, to check in with you and see how you are adjusting."

"Oh." Despite the warmness of the room, Letti felt herself shiver.

He frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Erm, yes, sir."

There was a pause as Professor Mafoy gazed at her. She felt like he was reading her mind. Then, he leaned back with a heavy sigh. "I promise you have nothing to be afraid of, Miss Lunetti. While there are many, many rumors out there about me and my actions during the Calamity, trust me when I say that if even half of them were true I would probably be off living in a fancy mansion doing nothing with my time." He paused. "Granted, that's actually what I was doing before the Calamity, but that's neither here nor there." He focused his attention back on Letti. "My job is to be your support and to help you be successful during your time here at Hogwarts. Part of that means making sure you're doing okay. Have you been able to find all of your classes?"

"Yes, sir. Lorcan and Lysander and Cassie helped me find everything."

"Good! And you're making friends already, I see, which is fantastic. Even students from different houses, which is better."

"Sir?"

He sat back and chuckled. "A slip of the tongue, I'm afraid. As I'm sure you've noticed, our student population is rather small - far smaller than when I attended over twenty years ago. It's a basic fact: fewer children were born during the Calamity, and so there will be fewer students attending school, even prestigious magic ones like Hogwarts. Par- Headmistress Patil and I have tried to bolster a sense of communal camaraderie. We want students to interact with their peers in different houses, work together."

"Oh. Okay." Letti fidgeted in her seat. He had not become any less intimidating.

He seemed to sense this, the edge of his lip curling into a slight frown. He ran a hand through his white hair and set it against his chin. "I can see that you're still uncomfortable, and I think I know why."

"You...do?"

"I think I do. You are not unknown to me, Letti Lunetti. Miss Hazelwood made sure to tell me about everything that happened leading up to you arriving here. She had plenty of questions for me, and she warned me that you would, too." He leaned forward. "So. While we have the time today, allow me to give you this chance to ask any question you might have. I pride myself on being honest with my students, and I shall be the same with you. Ask me whatever you want, and I will give you the truth that I know."

Letti's fidgeting stopped. "A-anything?"

Professor Malfoy nodded. "Anything. I've seen in the past how hiding the truth only leads to more problems. I'd rather that not be the case here."

Letti paused for a moment, thinking. Then, in a sudden flurry of words that seemed unending, the questions spewed forth. "Do you know who my mother is? Do you know who my father is? Why would they abandon me with that woman? Why can't anyone find out who they are? Why is Luna Lovegood's name carved into my vault? Why was there a weird egg left in my vault? What is the weird egg? What happened during the Calamity? Why are you so terri-" She slapped her hands across her mouth, forcing herself to stop.

Professor Malfoy was, as best as she could tell, genuinely taken aback, his eyes wide with surprise. He sat back a little in his chair and rested his chin on his hands, deep in thought. Letti wondered whether he was about to laugh at her or tell her off.

"That was...quite a lot more than I was expecting," he said. There was a faint ounce of humor in his voice. Letti relaxed. He wasn't mad at her. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where to start...actually, no. I do."

He looked her directly in the eyes. "Letti, I wish I could tell you who your parents are. I wish I had that information, because I know it must be eating you alive. Unfortunately, I haven't the foggiest idea."

Letti's shoulders slumped. Her search for knowledge wasn't off to a great start.

"However," Professor Malfoy added, "there are some questions I  _ can _ answer. Some of this is just speculation, mind you, and I'll try to explain as I go along. You were born in the midst of the Calamity, at a time when good witches, wizards, and Muggles alike were being slaughtered by many numbers of foul, corrupted creatures. It was a dark era in human history. If I were to hazard a guess, I would assume that at least one of your parents was a powerful witch or wizard - Miss Hazelwood told me of your magical feat while in Gringotts."

"My mother."

"Sorry?"

"My...mother. She was a witch. At least, that's what Luna said. My adopted mom."

Professor Malfoy's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Was she? Interesting, Miss Hazelwood didn't mention that." He stood up from his chair and began pacing around the office. "As I said, it is quite likely that your mother then was a powerful witch. At that time there was still much speculation as to whether or not magical and non-magical folk would be working together or fighting each other - the wizarding community had only just become publicly-known, and there was quite a bit of contention between the groups. More than likely your mother, worried about what might happen to you, gave you up to Miss Luna, in the hopes that you could live a normal, safe life. Being a powerful witch, it is most likely that she died during the Calamity. Hmm?" He stopped talking - Letti had raised her hand.

"Erm, sir...what was the Calamity? Everyone always talks so vaguely about it. Even the textbooks in my history class barely said anything…"

Professor Malfoy paused in his pacing - which he had continued even while she spoke - and became lost in thought. She could tell he was choosing his words wisely. "The reason the Calamity is spoken of so vaguely is for good reason," he began. "The truth is...well, the truth is rather terrifying, if I'm being honest." He looked at Letti regretfully. "I'm afraid this is where I have to go back on my promise just a little, Miss Lunetti. The reality is that there are some details I cannot share with you, not yet."

"Is there anything you  _ can _ share with me?" Letti didn't mean to snap at him, but she was getting so frustrated. How is it that nobody could ever give her the answers she wanted?

If Professor Malfoy was displeased at her outburst, he didn't show it. "What I can share with you is very little. The Calamity was...well, it was a war of sorts. It started out small: a few isolated attacks, a few world leaders going missing or turning up dead. Then it got bigger: assaults on major cities, the ruin of entire areas. It got so bad that the wizarding community was forced to go public for the first time in well...ever, as far as I can tell. Millions of lives were lost.

"There's more to it than that, but that information is...to be honest, part of the reason I am loath to share it with you is because I understand it so little myself. But suffice it to say that it is best left unsaid for now." He paused for a moment, giving Letti a moment for the information to sink in.

It didn't take long. "So, you think my mother fought in the Calamity? And died?"

He nodded. "That seems most likely. For you to be able to do what you did means you have powerful magical blood. The only reason she wouldn't have come back for you would be because, well…"

"She couldn't." Letti fell back in her chair.

There was a part of her that, ever since she found out she was a witch, had always sort of known that simple truth: her mother, and probably her father, were dead. Yet she hadn't wanted to believe it. After all, who would? There had always been a chance that she might get to properly meet them, to have a life with them…

"I'm sorry." Those simple words from Professor Malfoy caused her to burst into tears. She put her hands over her face, embarrassed. Thus far at her teacher she had vomited questions, snapped bitterly, and now begun to sob. Not an especially promising start.

Professor Malfoy sat back down in his chair and slid a box of tissues toward her. "If it's any consolation, sometimes knowing magically-powerful parents isn't always a good thing. I did, and it made me a right little monster when I was your age."

Letti sniffled. "A monster?"

He leapt at the chance to change the tone. "Oh, yeah. I even sided with Lord Voldemort during the Second Wizarding War. Didn't really want to, but it was part of my parents' legacy, you know?" When she didn't seem overly surprised, he sighed. "Ah, figures you would've heard about that already. Nevertheless, know this: your parents don't have to define you.  _ You _ are the one in control of your own image."

She nodded, wiping her nose with a tissue. She was starting to see why he was liked by so many other students.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and began speaking again. "Letti, I know you still have many, many questions, and unfortunately I do not have enough answers. Promise me that you will still try to focus on your schoolwork while you are here."

She sniffled and nodded. "Okay." Then: "Wait. When I was getting my wand, Mister Ollivander said you knew a lot about Dark Magic and stuff."

Professor Malfoy chuckled. "That might be a bit of a dig at my past, but...yes, I suppose I have become fairly knowledgeable in that sort of thing."

"Do you know what this is?" Letti held up her right hand, showcasing the mark.

He nodded solemnly. "I am aware of it. It actually cropped up quite a bit during the Calamity."

"Really? What does it mean?"

"That, unfortunately, is something I do not have an answer to. We saw that symbol show up any time after a victory - it would be graffitied on walls, carved into roads, burned into fields. Nobody knew who was making the marks or what they meant, and in all honesty I thought it was just some random rune non-wizards were putting up. But to see it on you like this, and to hear from Miss Hazelwood how you did magic without a wand and caused it to glow...I certainly think there's more to that symbol than meets the eye." He lifted up the giant book he had been reading when she came in. The title read  _ Runes of the Ancient World _ . "I've been reading up to try and find out what I can."

"Oh." Once again, she was left with more questions than answers.

Professor Malfoy read her disappointment. "Letti, I know things have not gone the way you wanted them to. Please understand that you are not alone in this. Miss Hazelwood, myself, and even Headmistress Patil are all trying to find out as much as we can. I guarantee you that whenever we discover  _ anything _ , we will tell you."

"Okay. Erm, thanks."

He smiled warmly. "Unless you have any more questions, I'm afraid this is where our meeting will have to end - I believe your friend Cassie is scheduled to see me next." He paused. "My schedule is set so that I can host meetings like this each week. I would recommend you sign up for at least one slot a week. We can check in and see how you're doing with your classes, and I can fill you in if there's anything new to tell you about, well...anything. Deal?"

"Erm, yes, sir." She stood up awkwardly.

"Fantastic. Now go! Enjoy your last day of pure freedom. Tomorrow, the real work begins." He waved her away, a slight smile on his face.

She left, carefully stepping out into the dim hallway. As she began making her way back to the dormitory, she felt her shoulders fall and a calm breath pass her lips. The meeting had certainly not gone as she had intended, and she had not really learned much of anything. And yet, she felt better now than she had before she entered. She stole a glance back at the steel door. Though she had never really thought about it, Letti realized that, ever since she had learned of her magical nature, she had more people supporting her than ever before.


	11. The Midday Duel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gryffindor starts causing trouble for Letti and her friends, but can she handle it when McCormack challenges her to a duel?

Letti had never really thought she could hate anyone, but the brutes in Gryffindor quickly proved her wrong. Thanks to mixed-House classes and her odd schedule, she had to deal with them for six of her seven classes.

Her first class, Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Malfoy, was by far the best. Maybe it was because she was with the first-years who had not been corrupted by Mister Finnigan's influence, or perhaps it was because Professor Malfoy commanded an aura of mutual respect and attention, but that first hour was thoroughly enjoyable. She found herself sitting between Jesus Morales - the only other first-year Slytherin - and Lily Potter. Max Diggins was closeby, but even he seemed in awe of the Dark Arts Professor, sitting silently and absorbing every word.

In the next class, however, all hell broke loose.

Her second class of the day was Muggle History, a class which she had actually been looking forward to given that she had been learning that subject all her life up until now. Plus, it was one of the few classes she was taking as a proper second-year student, which meant that she was in a class with Lorcan, Lysander, and Cassie. Professor Washington, the teacher, had the name and appearance of a general, being a tall, stocky man with an intimidating face.

In reality, though, the Gryffindor students rolled over him.

Trey McCormack was the ring-leader - despite being a fifth-year student, he was still in the second-year Muggle History class. "Who needs to learn about Muggles?" he said proudly as he entered the classroom ten minutes late. Professor Washington didn't even address the interruption, continuing talking about his syllabus as if nothing had happened at all. McCormack took that as permission to be as obnoxious as humanly possible. His antics included throwing balls of paper at the back of classmates' heads, playing several inappropriate videos from his phone, and drumming his fingers along the table in what he probably thought was some sort of rhythm.

When one ball of paper whizzed past her ear, Cassie spun around and hissed at him. "Could you attempt to be less stupid for one day?"

The room went silent. Letti looked forward. Professor Washington had stopped talking for once, and was staring right at their table. "Miss Slink, that sort of behavior is just unacceptable."

Cassie's face contorted with anger. "But he's been rude all class!"

"Not another word, Miss Slink. I'll already be deducting ten points from Slytherin. Talk back to me again, and I'll make it another ten."

She huffed into the back of her seat, furious. Letti pat her comfortingly on the shoulder as Professor Washington droned on again about late assignments. She stole a glance back at McCormack, expecting him to be gloating; instead, he kept an angry stare directed at Cassie.

Later, as they walked towards Cassie's next class (Transfiguration), Letti asked, "Does McCormack hate you in particular for some reason? He seemed really angry back there."

"Oh. Maybe? I dunno, I jokingly told him last year that I had foreseen he would flunk out of Hogwarts and be an eternal loser, and I think he took that personally."

Letti's third class was Potions, and while Max Diggins seemed to have discovered some of his inner-Gryffindor jerkitude, Professor Mercury was quick to quash his less savory behaviors. Unfortunately, that didn't make Potions class any better - Letti quickly found that keeping track of all the different ingredients and steps was more difficult than she could have imagined.

"Oh no, you need a much finer powder," Professor Mercury commented as she walked past Letti's cauldron. "You can still see the snake fangs floating in the mixture. That won't cure boils so much as make them fester."

Letti looked around the room. Several students had done it correctly, as evidenced by a faint pink smoke rising from their cauldrons. She looked back at hers and frowned. Her smoke looked more...smoky.

After Potions came Charms, taught by a tiny old man named Flitwick. Eccentrically-dressed in bright purple robes, Letti immediately took to liking him. Max Diggins, on the other hand, was a problem.

After speaking to the students briefly about the importance of safety and the wonders of learning, Professor Flitwick, standing atop a precarious pile of books, had each of them step up one-by-one and produce sparks from their wands. "Just to see how much control and expertise you have," he explained. "Making sparks doesn't even require an incantation - just think about making them, and twirl your wand like so." He spun his wand in a slight circle. "Would anyone like to volunteer?"

A girl named Bailey Evans went first. She stood nervously in front of the class robes, lifted her wand high above her head, and closed her eyes. Blue sparks spat out of her wand, filling the room with bright light. "Wow," Letti said. Beside her, Lily Potter nodded in agreement.

"Very good, very good!" Professor Flitwick hopped excitedly, shifting some of the books beneath him. Letti was convinced he would fall and hurt himself.

Spurred on by Bailey's success, other students stepped forward to try. Zeena Jasim made a modest effort, Alexander Rodriguez-Lubo generated a shower of white sparks, but poor Jesus Morales could hardly produce more than a few sputtering embers.

Lily Potter stepped forward next, with Letti next in-line behind her. "Miss Potter, excellent!" Professor Flitwick said encouragingly. "Now, just lift your wand high…"

Like Jesus, all Lily could manage was a few small embers. "A fine red color, though," Professor Flitwick said. It was clear that he was disappointed. Lily shuffled away, her head down in shame.

Letti stepped forward nervously. She had never really practiced magic  _ intentionally _ \- thus far most of her spells had happened by pure accident. What if she embarrassed herself in front of everyone?

"Go on, Miss Lunetti, not to worry." Flitwick waved her on.

She took a deep breath.  _ Here goes nothing _ . She raised her wand and waved it in a small circle, eyes closed.

There was a burst of light. Letti opened her eyes and saw a shower of sparks, blue and red, bursting from her wand. The mark on her hand was glowing just as brightly.

"Oh, well done!" Professor Flitwick said, clapping his hands together. "Well done indeed!"

"I can do that." Max Diggins shoved his way up to Letti, looking livid. "Heck, I can do  _ better _ ." He grabbed Letti and pushed her back in with the rest of the crowd. Grinning confidently, he raised his wand in the air and twirled it. "Watch this."

There was a crackling noise, followed by a small explosion bursting from his wand. The blast barely even registered as a gust of wind to the onlooking students, but it was enough to send Max to the ground. Professor Flitwick brushed himself off - amazingly, while his pile of books had been rendered shorter, he had remained safely upright.

"Oh dear," the professor said. "Well, let this be a lesson: don't try to run before you can walk! That's how some of the worst accidents happen. Are you okay, my boy?"

Max stood up and brushed off his robes. His face was hot with embarrassment. Furiously, he stomped over to his wand, snatched it up, and went to the corner of the room to sulk. Letti chuckled at his downfall - normally she didn't like it when people embarrassed themselves, but this was a different situation entirely. She turned to Lily to revel in the joy with her.

Surprisingly, she found Lily walking over to Max, comforting him. She looked over at Letti and their eyes locked. Lily looked mad, but...who was she mad at? Her? She didn't force Max to make a fool of himself!

When everyone else had an opportunity to try and class ended, Letti rushed out to try and talk with Lily. She found her practically running down the hall, and had to race to catch up to her. "Hey, is everything okay?"

Lily glared at her with contempt. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"Get...what?"

Lily scoffed. "You seriously don't know?"

Max sidled up to her and pointed a finger in Letti's face. "Yeah, don't you know,  _ freak _ ?"

"Hey!"

The three of them turned. Cassie was standing not too far away, and she looked livid. "Don't you call my friend a freak, you little twerp!"

"Oh look, it's the  _ other _ freak." Max didn't seem perturbed by her interruption. "Guess you two freak lovebirds stick together. Dumb Slytherins." A nearby classmate gave him a high-five.

"Wow, stereotypical much?" Cassie walked up in his face. "Dumb first-year Gryffindor thinks he's all that, is that it? Only been here a day and already letting morons like Potter and McCormack mess with your head?"

"What's going on here?" As if on cue, McCormack, Potter, and several other older Gryffindors walked up. McCormack looked down at Max. "These runts trying to mess with you, Big D?"

The little boy swelled with pride at the recognition of his nickname. "Yeah, they think they're better than Gryffindor."

McCormack cracked his knuckles. "Oh yeah? That true, Slink? You think you're better than us? Or, wait, let me guess: you've 'forseen' that you're better than us?" He put his hand against his forehead and buckled his knees, making a moaning sound.

"Step off, McCormack." Cassie had lost her momentum, and Letti didn't blame her. There were too many older Gryffindor boys now, and all of them seemed eager to hex her.

McCormack kept going, grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her backwards. "Oh yeah, why don't you make me, you stupid Seer?"

"Don't touch her!" Before she even realized what she was doing, Letti found herself standing between the two of them, her wand drawn and in McCormack's face. The chuckling and jeering coming from the other Gryffindors suddenly stopped.

"O-hoh!" McCormack took a step back, his hands raised. "I'm so scared. The little first-year freak wants to throw down." He looked back at his buddies and grinned. "Maybe I show her how a real wizard does magic, eh?" He withdrew his wand and pointed it towards her.

"NO MAGIC BETWEEN CLASSES!" Professor Flitwick's tiny voice screeched down the halls. He began storming towards them. "Put those wands away!"

McCormack holstered his wand back in his robes and stole a glance back at a dumbfounded Letti. "You think you're so tough, huh?" he hissed, quietly enough so Flitwick wouldn't hear. "Why don't you prove it? Duel, today, right after lunch. Main courtyard. We'll see who's tough then."

"Fine," Letti said through gritted teeth. She put her wand away and quickly followed Cassie away from Flitwick and the Gryffindors.

"What was I thinking? A  _ duel _ ?" Letti was sitting in the Great Hall at lunch, hands over her head. "I can make sparks fly out of my wand and that's about it! Why would I think dueling McCormack was a good idea? I  _ never _ try to pick fights with people! Am I insane!?"

"Whoa, slow down there, Lunetti." Cassie sat next to her, with Lorcan and Lysander sitting across from them. "It's completely understandable. McCormack gets under everyone's skin. It wouldn't be the first time someone's tried to duel him."

"What part about 'I can only make sparks' don't you get?" Letti was hysterical. "He's going to destroy me! Literally!"

"Can't that thing do something cool?" Lysander was pointing at the mark on her hand.

She shrugged. "I mean, I made a ball of light come out of it, but that's about it. That won't really help me in a duel."

Lysander looked bewildered. "Okay, putting aside the fact that that is the definition of 'something cool', are you sure you don't know any other spells?"

"I mean...okay, yes, but nothing actually  _ useful for a duel _ !"

"Hey, but that's better than nothing, which is what you were trying to tell us earlier." Cassie put a comforting hand on her shoulders. "C'mon, tell us what you know."

Letti sighed. "Erm, okay. I mean, I taught myself how to open locks with magic, how to properly make a ball of light, and how to make weather jinxes go away." She paused. "I found out I was magic because a storm spawned above my head, and I didn't want it to happen again, okay?"

Lorcan had a hand over his face. "Well, that's it. You're doomed."

"Hey, she could blind him with the light spell!" Lysander was trying for the optimistic side of things. "Blind him and then, and then, and then punch him!" He sat back, proud of himself. "Yeah, that'll show him."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Terrible idea aside, I don't see how this duel is going to go well for you."

"A duel?" Professor Malfoy strolled by, eyebrows raised. "Surely I'm not hearing a Slytherin student talking about participating in a duel,  _ especially _ after I hear about an altercation outside of Professor Flitwick's class?"

"Er, of course not, Professor. We're just talking about duels...educationally." Cassie tried for an innocent grin.

It was not convincing. "Hmm, I expect better from my students," he intoned. Then, as if with a sigh, "If, perhaps, an inexperienced witch challenges someone of greater skill to a duel, the wise choice would be to concede before it gets started. Recognizing humility is never a sign of weakness." He began to stride away, then paused and turned his head slightly back at them. "If you're going to be chatting about conduct that is against the school rules, I would suggest perhaps not doing it in the Great Hall so loudly. Someone might think you're...up to something." He left them, taking his place beside Headmistress Patil at the teacher's table.

"That was...uncomfortable." Lorcan shivered. "I think I'm gonna go back to the Ravenclaw table."

"Yeah." Lysander nodded. "I, uh, should go check in on the first-year Hufflepuffs." Both twins stood up and left to their respective tables.

"What was that about?" Letti asked.

"Oh, they're still scared of Professor Malfoy," Cassie explained. "What did you think about his advice? You could just concede and not go through with it."

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I mean, you'll definitely be hearing it from McCormack and his goons for awhile, but that's better than having to go to the hospital wing in pieces." Cassie shrugged. "I think conceding is the right thing to do."

Letti nodded regretfully. "Yeah, I guess. Okay."

Lunch passed quickly then, though Letti's nerves did not shrink away. If anything, she was more nervous now than before - sure, she was going to keep herself safe, but at what cost? Having Cassie, Lorcan, and Lysander by her side did make her feel better.

The Gryffindors were already at the courtyard when they got there. In fact, a considerable crowd was present, though many students were trying to play it off as if they just  _ happened _ to be there, milling about aimlessly. Out of the corner of her eye, Letti noticed Professor Malfoy standing just outside the courtyard. No doubt he would try and intervene if things became nasty.

"So you showed up!" McCormack said scathingly. "I didn't think you would." He stepped away from his friends, taking his wand out of his robes. "You ready?"

Letti stepped forward, but she kept her wand in her pocket. "I don't want to fight you," she said. "Let's call this off before someone gets hurt."

She winced as she realized that was the wrong thing to say. "Is that a threat?" McCormack shouted. "O-ho, she thinks she's hot stuff, eh? You really think you can take me?" He turned back to his friends. "She thinks she's all that, but you know what I heard? I heard her parents abandoned her because she was so ugly!" His friends guffawed.

Letti snapped. "Fine!" She took her wand out and pointed it at him. "You wanna go, let's go!"

McCormack grinned cruelly. "That's more like it. Let's go!" He took a step back, then thrust his wand forward. " _ Stupefy _ !"

A bolt of red light snapped forward towards Letti. She shrieked, closed her eyes, and crossed her arms out in front of her, knowing that it would do her no good. What had she been thinking, getting into a duel?

She had expected the magic to hit her and do something. Instead, there was only some surprised murmuring from the crowd. She opened her eyes carefully.

A bubble of light surrounded her. Letti recognized it immediately: a Protection Charm, like the one Henrietta had used down in the depths of Gringotts. She looked over to where Professor Malfoy had been. His wand was out, but he seemed just as surprised about the shield as she was. She looked down at her right hand. Lo and behold, the mark on her hand was glowing fiercely. Realization dawned:  _ she _ had generated the shield.

She looked up at McCormack as the Protection Charm faded. His face was a combination of shock, concern, and rage. He had not anticipated her being able to defend herself. He snapped his wand forward again. " _ Stupefy _ !"

She dove out of the way, not trusting the mark on her hand to summon another shield this time. There was some scattered laughter as she landed roughly in the dirt, her bushy hair falling in front of her face.

Without really thinking, Letti got to her feet and pointed her wand at McCormack. There was a sound like a gunshot, and a swirling gust of wind erupted from the tip of her wand. It grabbed McCormack and lifted him to the air, sending him flying backwards into his group of friends.

"All right, that's enough," she heard Professor Malfoy say. He was stepping into the courtyard, wand at his side, looking thoroughly displeased with the whole affair.

McCormack, red-faced and seething, stood up and pointed his wand at Letti. " _ Caninfernum _ !" he shouted.

A strange red rune appeared in midair a few feet from her. A dog-like creature bounded out of it, snarling.  At a very basic level, the creature had the appearance of a large dalmatian, if said dalmatian was the color of obsidian, with spots the color and texture of lava scattered across its hide like patchwork. The tail was large and thick, with boney spurs bursting through skin along the spine. Four eyes glared out at her: two, regular sized, which appeared normal; two smaller eyes black as ink were set just above and behind them. Most terrifying was the pair of scythe-like limbs extending from the front shoulders, raised several feet above its head and curving downward in a spike-edged tip designed to skewer. It took one glance at Letti and howled, crouching in preparation for a bounding strike…

She heard someone shout something over the screaming of students, and a blast of energy struck the creature. Immediately, it vanished in a puff of ash, letting out one final sad howl as it went. 

Mortified, she turned to see Professor Malfoy standing with his wand pointed towards where the creature had been. His face was livid. He pointed his wand at Letti and McCormack in succession. "This is over! Everyone move along to your classes!" he shouted. "I expected better from you," he said to Letti. Then, to McCormack, "You and I are going to have a nice long chat about where you learned  _ that _ particular spell."

The rest of the afternoon, Letti's head hung low. She knew she had messed up - she had gotten into a fight. She  _ never _ got into fights. What had come over her?

Everyone else, however, seemed to be hailing her as a hero. Throughout her remaining classes, fellow students insisted on sitting next to her, on congratulating her in the halls, on waving and greeting her in between classes. It was strange, this newfound popularity, and she wasn't sure she really liked it. In contrast, the Gryffindors' displeasure with her took to two methods: some students silently seethed at her, stealing angry glares or unhappy sneers; others chose to pretend that she didn't exist, knocking into her in the halls and refusing to even look at her during class.

The real consequences for the duel came towards the end of Transfiguration, the last class of her day. A small slip of paper, shaped like an owl, fluttered into the room and landed on her desk. For a moment Letti let herself be impressed by the wonder of this magic, but upon opening the note her joy crumpled.

"What's it say?" Cassie hissed, sitting behind her.

"I have to meet with Professor Malfoy after class," Letti whispered. A pit formed in her stomach. She knew she would be in trouble, but she was hoping it would be something simple, like taking points away from Slytherin.

Cassie walked with her down to the dungeons after class. "You know you don't have to come with me," Letti said. "You should be up getting dinner in the Great Hall right now, chatting it up with Albus."

"I'm here to support  _ you _ ," Cassie said. "I feel sorta responsible, since you were defending me and all. It was really brave. Stupid, but brave."

"You think so?" Letti blushed, again glad for the darkness of the dungeons.

"Yeah! Honestly, Albus is the only person I know of who's ever really tried to stand up to those jerks. Didn't you notice how people started treating you this afternoon?"

"Well, yeah, but I thought it was just because I got into a duel."

"Sure, that was part of it. But it was less about the duel itself, and more about  _ who _ you were dueling. Plus, the fact that you made that shield spell was pretty badass."

Letti smiled. "Thanks. Well, I guess I'll see you." They had arrived at the steel door of Professor Malfoy's office.

"Good luck in there." Cassie put a reassuring hand on Letti's shoulder, and Letti felt a surge of butterflies swirl in her stomach. Her friend turned and began walking back down the hall.

Letti faced the door. The butterflies quickly vanished, replaced by an ominous pit. She knocked. "Come in!" came the professor's voice.

The pit in her stomach dropped deeper when she saw that Professor Malfoy wasn't alone: Headmistress Patil was also in the room, standing next to his desk. Both adults looked extremely cross. "Close the door, please," the headmistress said.

She did, then stood awkwardly at the door. "Please, sit down," Professor Malfoy said. "We're not going to bite you, I promise."

Letti sat awkwardly in one of the chairs. "You understand why you are here, yes?" Headmistress Patil asked. Her voice was soft, not angry like Letti thought it would be.

"Erm...yeah. I fought in a duel."

"That you did." The headmistress sighed deeply and walked behind the desk, brushing Professor Malfoy's shoulder with her hand. "Using magic between classes,  _ especially  _ against another student, is strictly forbidden."

"And to do this on the first day of classes, no less." Professor Malfoy sounded exasperated. "To say I am disappointed in you, Letti, would be an understatement."

Letti stared at her feet. Hearing him say that nearly brought tears to her eyes. She wondered if she was going to be expelled.

"However." Headmistress Patil stopped her pace on the opposite end of the desk where she had started. "There are extenuating circumstances."

Letti looked up. Was she not in trouble, after all?

"For starters, the boy you dueled with, McCormack, is a fifth-year student, and absolutely knows better than to pick fights. You, in contrast, are technically a first-year student despite your age, and are just now beginning to understand the ways of witches and wizards. It would be unfair to give you the same punishment as your classmate. You will not be expelled from Hogwarts."

Letti's spirits soared. She would get to stay!

"That is not to say you will not face any consequences," Professor Malfoy added, immediately quashing her joy. "For the next week, you will join me here for detention after dinner. I expect you to be prompt and to take this punishment without complaint."

"Yes, sir." That wasn't as bad as she had thought. Detention for a week? She had never had detention before, but she didn't think it could be too awful. "Can I go now?"

"Of course." Professor Malfoy waved her away. Letti got up from the chair and walked quickly to the door.

She was just beginning to open the steel door when the headmistress' voice called to her. "Wait."

Letti paused, letting out a sad sigh. Was she going to give her more punishment? She turned around and shut the door.

"There is something I wanted to ask you - you aren't in more trouble, if that is what you're worried about." The headmistress seemed almost...awkward. How was that possible? "Professor Malfoy mentioned to me that, during the duel, you produced a perfect Shield Charm. That is exceptionally advanced magic at your age, and in fact there are many fully-grown witches and wizards who are incapable of performing such a feat. If you don't mind my asking: how did you learn it?"

"I…" Letti didn't know exactly what to say. "I didn't mean to do it. It was an accident."

"You mean to say you've never learned it before? Nobody has taught you this spell?" Headmistress Patil was incredulous.

Letti shook her head.

Professor Malfoy gazed at her, curiosity alight in his eyes. "I think I might have a theory about this, Parvati. Has there ever been a time when you've seen someone else produce a Shield Charm? Did Miss Hazelwood ever need to perform that spell in front of you, perhaps?"

Letti thought about it. "Actually, yeah. When we opened my vault, this giant Fire Crab came out and attacked us. She made a shield to protect us."

"What about the Ventus Jinx you used against McCormack? Had you practiced that, or did someone use that in front of you?"

Realization began to dawn. "Albus was practicing it in the common room a few days ago."

The professor and the headmistress shared a glance. "I think I have an idea of what that mark of yours is capable of, Miss Lunetti," Professor Malfoy said.

Headmistress Patil stared at him. "You don't mean-?"

"I do." Now the professor looked almost grim.

"What?" Letti was getting concerned.

"That mark of yours seems to have a spell memory, of sorts," he explained. "If a spell is performed in front of you, it seems that the mark is able to replicate it flawlessly, even if you yourself are unaware of the incantation or how to perform it." He leaned back in his chair, his hands forming an arch. "This is both extremely impressive and extremely dangerous. Should you learn to control this ability, you could feasibly become the most powerful witch alive. But without control, and considering the spells performed in front of you…"

"What do you mean?" Letti said. "I could hurt someone?"

Professor Malfoy nodded. "Indeed you could. Especially if you were to replicate the spell that McCormack performed at the end."

Letti recalled the terrifying hound that appeared in the courtyard. "What was that thing?"

"A hellhound." Headmistress Patil's voice was quiet, barely audible at first. "A creature of the Calamity. Thousands of them caused innumerable damage. They are resistant to most forms of offensive magic, and many types of Muggle weaponry proved to be ineffective. Auror Potter was the first to discover a spell that could actually be used against them-"

"A spell which I perfected, I might add," Professor Malfoy said bitterly.

The headmistress rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, you did. The  _ point _ is, hellhounds are incredibly dangerous creatures, and for one to be summoned on the grounds...I shudder at the thought. Even one could prove extremely damaging to Hogwarts."

"This is why I am concerned about that mark," Professor Malfoy said, addressing Letti directly. "If I am right, and it can perform any spell you've seen-"

"I could summon a hellhound by accident." Letti felt the pit in her stomach return. That creature had been terrifying.

Both adults nodded. "It is imperative that you learn to control this ability," Headmistress Patil urged. "Luckily, you will be in detention for the next week." She turned to Professor Malfoy. "That should be ample time to help her gain some measure of control, no?"

He looked unhappily at her. "I mean, I don't even know where to begin. I suppose I can study up on some relevant literature, if anything even e-"

"Perfect." Headmistress Patil clapped her hands together. "Letti, you will come to Professor Malfoy's office each day after dinner, and he will train you to control this mark of yours. Now, if you will please excuse me, I have to go and communicate with some unhappy parents." She strode briskly past Letti and out the door, leaving the student and professor alone in the office.

"Professor?"

"Hmm?" He had already begun rifling through some books in the shelves behind his desk, apparently unaware that she was still there.

"Did McCormack get detention, too?"

He sat up, silent for a moment. Then, "No. He was expelled."

Letti's eyes grew wide. "Expelled?"

Professor Malfoy nodded. "Yes. He's had plenty of second chances over his time here at Hogwarts, but summoning a hellhound to attack you was the last straw. That level of disregard for another's life is not tolerated here." He looked her directly in the eyes. "Understand that you're on thin ice yourself, Miss Lunetti. We gave you the benefit of the doubt because you're brand new to Hogwars and the spell you used against him wasn't dangerous on its own, but make no mistake: I expect you to behave from now on. No more duels, no matter how much other students might frustrate you. Are we understood?"

She nodded glumly. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now go on. You ought to go get some dinner."

Letti left, thoroughly glad that that whole conversation was finally over.


	12. Potter Problems

Potter Problems

The next day, Letti's newfound popularity had only grown with the expulsion of Trey McCormack. Suddenly, everyone wanted to talk to her and be her friend.

Well, not everyone. The Gryffindors remained as bitter and unfriendly as they had the day before. Letti was honestly okay with that - she was not fond of all this new attention. She kept to herself, even in the Great Hall, only chatting with Cassie. In the halls, on the way to class, Lorcan and Lysander flanked her like two guards, helping to keep others at bay. She appreciated how quickly her friends came to her aid.

It was worse in her first-year classes, not only because her friends weren't there to hold back the aggressively-friendly younger students who were smitten with her for standing up to the resident school bully, but also because she had to deal with the contempt of Lily Potter. No more was this apparent than in Transfiguration class.

"Okay, everyone, now that we've established that the proper way to hold your wand is  _ not _ at the end, let's pair up to practice changing the match into a needle." Professor Patil said this with a large amount of exhaustion in her voice. Max Diggins had nearly lit himself on fire.

After a moment of confusion where multiple students tried to pair up with Letti, Professor Patil ultimately chose the pairs. "Miss Lunetti and Miss Potter, why don't you two work together."

Letti looked over at Lily, who let out a dramatic, unhappy sigh. Not entirely sure of how to react, Letti just sat down and got to work. It was not easy. After fifteen minutes, the end of her match was only slightly silver.

Lily hadn't fared much better - though she had managed to turn her match entirely silver, it was still exactly the same shape. She was becoming increasingly frustrated with the effort, practically smacking the desk with her wand.

"I don't think breaking your wand is going to help," Letti joked. She hoped that lightening the mood might bridge the gap between them.

Instead, it only seemed to make things worse. "Mind your own business," Lily said. She went back to assaulting her match.

Letti frowned. "I was only trying to make a joke."

"Yeah? Well it was a bad one."

"Girls? How are we faring?" Professor Patil wandered by and broke up the tension. She was excited about Lily's progress ("The closest one so far!") and ambivalent about Letti's match. Letti was glad for the interruption. It didn't seem like her interactions with Lily were going to be positive any time soon.

It got worse at the end of class, when they were putting their failed matchsticks away in a small storage closet. Letti made the mistake of thinking it would be a nice thing to take Lily's to the closet for her, and went to pick hers up from their table. Since Lily was already reaching for it, however, Letti's hand merely slammed into hers, making it look like she was trying to slap Lily's hand away.

"What is your problem?" Lily snapped.

"I-"

Professor Patil was near them in a flash. "What's going on?"

"Letti just smacked my hand like a crazy person!"

"No, Professor, I was just going to take her match to the closet for-"

"Yeah, right!"

"GIRLS!" Professor Patil's voice became booming. "Both of you, that is quite enough. Lily, it sounds like Letti was just trying to do something nice for you; there is no need to be so angry with her over that. Letti, in the future let's try to ask before we just grab at things in front of other people." She looked at both of them. "Are we better now?"

Lily crossed her arms and scoffed. "Of course, Letti just gets away with anything now."

"But I didn't-!"

Professor Patil put a hand out, and they stopped talking immediately. "I don't want to hear about it any more. You're both acting extremely foolishly. I have half a mind to take points away from both Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"But-!" Letti huffed and sat back in her seat. It wasn't fair for her to be in trouble. She had been trying to do a nice thing!

The entire affair put her in a sour mood, which did not go unnoticed later by Professor Malfoy.

Letti had attended her detention promptly as instructed, arriving at Professor Malfoy's office as soon as dinner in the Great Hall had ended. She knocked on his steel door, but nobody answered. Confused, she looked down the hall. His classroom door was wide open.

Curious, she stepped inside and found that Professor Malfoy was rearranging the room entirely. Desks had been pushed to one side, cabinets and dressers sealed with magical locks, and a mountain of pillows had been arranged at one end. He was not alone: Albus Potter was helping him, stacking books safely off in a corner.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

Professor Malfoy looked up. "Ah, you're here! Excellent, and prompt as well. Good. If you weren't here for detention I might just have awarded some points to Slytherin house. Come in, come in." He waved his wand, and a final row of desks waddled over and flipped on top of another row.

Letti stepped in nervously. "Is this all...for me?"

"Of course!" Professor Malfoy strode over to his desk - which had not been moved - and grabbed a mug of water, downing it in one gulp. "I want to make sure we have a safe space for you to practice with."

"Oh." She shuffled awkwardly - she did not like being the center of attention, and yet it seemed like everyone wanted to focus on her lately. She turned to Albus. "Are you in detention, too?"

Professor Malfoy explained as the boy shook his head. "No, he just comes to my office to study and get some peace and quiet. I'm quite glad for his help tonight, though, and he has promised not to tell a soul what is transpiring here."

"Was I not supposed to tell anyone? I...might have mentioned it to my friends."

"That's fine, Miss Lunetti, and I'm sorry for the mixup. What I meant was, should something embarrassing to either one of us happen during your training, he has promised not to divulge such moments to the general populace."

Albus lounged in a desk and took out a phone. "Respectfully, sir, I only promised not to say anything if anything embarrassing happened to Letti. I made no such promises about you."

Professor Malfoy looked at him disapprovingly, but did nothing other than roll his eyes. "Letti, if you could please stand over by the pillows, please, and set your wand on that shelf right there."

As she did so, he continued talking. "Our goal here is to see if we can get you to control the powers you have, as a result of that mark of yours. From my understanding, you have conducted wandless magic through it a total of five times, yes? Yes. The problem is that each of those times, you did so unintentionally."

"Well, not entirely, sir…" Letti mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, during the duel yesterday, I sort of meant to use the Air Gust spell against McCormack. I know I had my wand and everything, but I didn't say the words - I actually don't  _ know _ the words."

Professor Malfoy rubbed his chin. "Hmm, that does make it seem likely that the mark had a part in it. But given that you had your wand with you, we might also be able to assume that it was merely regular wandless magic. Regardless, there is a noticeable trend of lack of control that we seek to remedy here."

He grabbed several rubber balls from out of his desk. "We spoke yesterday about how the mark seems to have a spell memory, as you were able to generate a perfect Shield Charm during the duel. Given that this is both a useful spell to have on hand and is by far the safest one for us to practice, the Shield Charm is what we will try and have you replicate here tonight."

Letti eyed the rubber balls warily. "Erm...how, sir?"

He noticed her glance and chuckled. "Don't worry. I do not intend to cause you any harm. I'll toss them gently." He threw one underhanded to her, slowly enough that she could catch it. "See? No injury will come to you. Now, move into position and let's begin."

Letti shifted herself to stand just in front of the pile of pillows. "Now, I want you to think about creating a shield," Professor Malfoy said. "Imagine the bubble forming around you, protecting you from danger."

"But if she's not really in any danger, won't that make it more difficult?" Albus asked.

Professor Malfoy grinned mischievously. "Our minds are often better at tricking us into thinking we are in danger, more often than we are actually so. But, if you insist…" He waved his wand. " _ Obscuro _ ."

Letti's vision suddenly went completely dark. "Hey!" she cried out.

"It's just a spell effect," Professor Malfoy comforted. "But in the meantime, use this to help you. Think in your mind about something frightening."

She felt a rush of air as something flew past her ear. Letti shuddered. Not seeing what was going on was frightening enough.

"Think, Miss Lunetti! Something that scares you, something that keeps you up late at night!"

She focused as another ball bounced past her right arm. Something frightening? Well, there was her fear of public speaking, but she didn't think that was what Professor Malfoy wanted her to think about. It certainly wouldn't get her to generate a shield. There was her ongoing feud with Lily that the other girl had started for seemingly no reason…

Another ball bounced past her, and Letti swatted at it angrily. "No!" Professor Malfoy called. "You are not on the offensive. What you think of is something you cannot fight against."

Something she couldn't fight against? She thought about her duel with McCormack. She had zero ways to really fight back against him, not without the luck of her mark. She had no idea what damage his first spell might have done to her. And then there was…

A flash of memory. The hellhound, snarling, muscles bristling to attack. The scythe-like appendages stabbing forward as it launched itself at her…

Letti fell back, crying out. She realized a moment later why Professor Malfoy had set up a pile of pillows - it lessened the pain of her fall. She struggled against them, unable to see. 

She heard someone say something, and the darkness around her eyes was lifted. Professor Malfoy and Albus Potter were staring at her, concern stretched across their faces. "Are you okay?" Albus asked.

She nodded glumly. "I just...got scared." She looked up at the professor. "I thought of the hellhound. Sir...what is it exactly? Why am I so scared of it?"

Professor Malfoy's shoulders fell, and he nodded solemnly. He went around to his desk and took out a piece of foil, unwrapping it to reveal a bar of chocolate. He split a piece off and handed it to Letti. "Here, eat it. Chocolate always helps after something frightening." Then, after thinking a moment, he handed the remaining piece to Albus. "Might as well."

He pulled a chair over and sat down. "Hellhounds are a new creature," he explained. "In fact, the only time anyone can recall anything like them is at the beginning of the Calamity. There are certainly records of creatures called hellhounds," he added, "but none match the description of what we first saw fifteen years ago. They are not pleasant, to be sure - monstrous, ravenous hounds insistent on the destruction of, well, everything." Professor Malfoy sighed. "We faced many of them during the Calamity, as they often appeared in packs. And they weren't even the worst - there were Gargantulas, Behemoths, and plenty of other horrors unleashed upon the world." He took a deep breath. "The hellhound frightens you so much, Letti, because it is meant to. Hellhounds were often the first creatures to appear before a major attack, howling and picking off those unlucky enough not to be indoors already. I can't tell you how many strong wizards balked at the sight of even one. Fearing it is nothing to be ashamed of."

Letti finished eating her chocolate. Despite his words, she didn't really feel any better.

He seemed to sense this, and turned the tables. "Alright, my turn. What were you thinking about a moment ago that made you so angry?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. It's dumb."

"I apologize, but I must insist. With your ability, anything that might invoke an emotional reaction like that is important."

Letti tried to remain silent, but his insistent gaze broke her down. Finally, she let out an exasperated gasp. "It's his sister," she said, pointing at Albus.

"Who, Lily? What's she done?"

"She hates me!" Letti fell back against the pillows, feeling thoroughly silly. "She keeps getting mad at me for little things, and she won't tell me why she's really upset. Yesterday she told me I should know why she doesn't like me, but…" She turned away from him, embarrassed.

"Oh." Albus shrugged. "Well, that one's actually pretty easy. It's because you remind her of Dad."

There was a moment of awkward silence as Professor Malfoy looked between the two students. Then, clearing his throat, he stood up. "We're going to need some more chocolate, I gather." He shuffled his way back to his desk and withdrew another bar.

"Wait, you mean...I remind her of  _ Harry Potter _ ?" Letti gasped, bewildered. "How? I'm nothing like him!"

Albus let out a cold laugh. Letti didn't like it. "Letti, you are so much like our father. How can you not see it?" He began counting on his fingers. "Let's see: first, a weird mark that makes you special. Check. Next, managing to get everyone's attention all the time. Yep, dueling McCormack definitely did that. Check. Third, seeming to be naturally gifted at just about everything. Check. And lastly, having 'good guy aura' all about you. Check." He looked at her sarcastically. "Did I miss anything?"

"I'm not…" Letti crossed her arms and pouted. "I'm terrible at potions! And math. And I  _ don't _ try to get everyone's attention all the time."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. The thing is, whether you agree with it or not, you remind Lily of our dad, and that's not a good thing."

"Why not? Isn't he an awesome wizarding hero?"

There was a muffled snort from Professor Malfoy as he gave them each another piece of chocolate. Albus continued, "Yeah, and that's exactly the problem. None of us could possibly expect to compete with him. Both he and Mom expect way too much from all three of us." He bit into his chocolate. "Look at James. Dad practically worships Granddad, and expected James to be this awesome model student. It's no wonder he's a complete trainwreck - there's no way he could possibly live up to Dad's expectations for him. And then there's me-"

"Albus, we talked about this," Professor Malfoy interjected. "Learning to be more constructive and positive is going to-"

"I know, I know." Albus sulked. "Trust me, for once I'm not going to be all depressing about myself. But look at my name: Albus Severus. First name is after some crackpot former headmaster of Hogwarts who, from what I read, basically only trained up Dad so that he could die to Voldemort, and my middle name comes from some guy who had an obsession with my grandmother and abused my dad all the time…" He paused. "Huh, my mom  _ really  _ had no say in our names, did she? No wonder she's leaving him."

Professor Malfoy choked on a piece of chocolate. "Ginny is-"

"Oh. Right. Yeah, Mom's leaving Dad. Moving back in with Grandmammy and Grandpappy." Albus shrugged. "They're keeping it hush-hush; don't want it in all the papers until it's finalized, I guess."

Professor Malfoy took a deep breath. "Okay, well you and I are definitely going to chat about that later at some point."

Albus nodded. "Anyways, the point is that, me and James, we're disappointments: James has never lived up to the impossible standards Dad gave him, and I'm in friggin' Slytherin. Lily is basically his 'last chance' to have a child that lives up to his legend, and that's a lot of pressure for her. How do you think she feels about seeing you come in, then, someone who probably looks exactly like the type of daughter our dad would actually be proud of?" He took a deep breath and ate another piece of chocolate. "For the record, I hold none of that against you. It's not your fault you come with some magical baggage, and you're already way nicer than Dad has ever been."

Letti looked down at her feet. "So...what do I do then?"

"About what?"

"About Lily. How do I get her to be...how do I get her to stop hating me?"

Albus shrugged, a mouth full of chocolate. "I'unno. Sometimes people just hate each other. Look at Professor Malfoy and my dad. You two still dislike each other, right? Man, anyone else feeling jittery?"

"I think that's enough chocolate for one night." Professor Malfoy stood up and returned the sweet to his desk. He seemed on edge. "And to address your question: we were enemies when we were in school, yes. But that changed after the war, and certainly changed during the Calamity." He returned to them and spoke to Letti directly. "If there is one thing I've learned, it's that school feuds are...unnecessary. Yes, as Albus so crudely pointed out, sometimes people do simply dislike each other. That is a fact of life. But I do not believe you have to simply live with it. People can change, for better or for worse. Those who seek conflict can sometimes be turned by showing them acts of kindness or mercy."

Letti was confused. "So...be nice to her, is what you're saying?"

Professor Malfoy nodded. "I would suggest having a frank conversation with her about your troubles with each other. It will be hard, but if you keep a cool head, I believe you find your problems at least partially resolved." He clapped his hands together. "Now, I think that is enough for one night. Both of you, off to bed. And don't think you've gotten out of this training, Miss Lunetti," he added. "You still have six more days of detention, and I intend not to disappoint the headmistress. Now, go on!" He waved them away.

The next morning, Letti woke up determined. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Cassie asked her, as they walked towards the Great Hall.

"Absolutely! Professor Malfoy said I needed to have a frank conversation with her."

"And you think that having this frank conversation in the Great Hall, in front of the  _ entire school _ is a good idea?"

"Oh." Letti hadn't considered that. "Maybe having it somewhere else would be better."

"Why not the Wild Zone? Weren't we going there during lunch anyways?"

"Yeah, but that was to show Hagrid the egg!" Letti was exasperated. "He might actually know what it is, and I wanted to show it to him and Professor Irwin!"

"You can't do both?"

Letti sighed. "Fiiiiine. I guess that makes sense, anyways."

"Plus if it turns out the egg is some sort of legendary creature that only responds to you, Lily will know you're even  _ more _ special!" Cassie teased, poking her friend in the shoulder. Letti jokingly let out another exasperated sigh. It was hard to be frustrated when you had a good friend by your side.

At the Slytherin table, she worked on her new plan. She needed to contact Lily somehow, and let her know that she wanted to talk to her. The easiest way would be to just tell her directly, but Letti worried that then Lily would want to have their conversation right then and there, and that would be no good - plus, as Letti scanned the Gryffindor table, she couldn't find her. Option two would be to pass a paper note to her, but other students would see and since she wasn't in the Great Hall, how would she pass it to her?

The final option required her phone. Technology was a little finicky at Hogwarts, she had found - though Headmistress Patil had lifted many of the magics that concealed Hogwarts and thus made technology accessible, the sheer amount of residue magic hanging about the place still caused cell phones signals and Wi-Fi to go a little haywire. Still, it was the best alternative to her other plans.

She opened an app called MagMeet - it was the 'in' social media site for witches and wizards, and nearly everyone at Hogwarts seemed to be on it. Despite not friending Lily, she could still message her there. She chose her words carefully, wanting to make sure there was no way Lily could misinterpret them.

Hey. I know you don't like me, but you seem nice and i want us to be friends. Maybe we can talk about what's bothering you? We can meet at the Wild Zone (beneath Hagrid's hut) during lunch.

Terrified, she hit send.

For some reason, she had expected an immediate reply. Yet by the time lunch rolled around, she had heard nothing back. Had Lily perhaps not received the message?

Frustrated, she went back to the Slytherin dorm, donned oven mitts Henrietta had sent her, and picked up the egg. It was as it had always been: hot, smooth, and utterly boring. For once, though, Letti was glad for a little boring - she wasn't sure what she'd do if the egg hatched. Would she even be able to keep whatever creature lay inside?

She was walking in front of the Great Hall when he accosted her.

It was James Potter, fury on his face. "You think you're so damn important, huh?" he shouted. "Think you're so cool for getting my friend expelled?" He pointed his wand in her face.

Letti stood frozen, terrified. If he tried to hex her, she would have zero methods of protecting herself. She said nothing.

"Oh, and now you think you're too to answer me, is that it? Let's see if you talk  _ now _ ." He smacked the egg out of her hands. "Ow!" he cried. The part of his hand where he had struck the egg was now home to a red welt.

Letti didn't care about his injury, though. She watched in horror as the egg flew out of her hands, landing against the cobbled steps of the Great Hall…

...and bounced down each and every step to the bottom.

Every bounce felt like a lifetime. The egg made a metallic ringing sound whenever it struck the stone steps. Letti felt her heart stop. All of that mystery, a potential legacy left to her, all for nothing.

The egg's journey finally came to a stop at the bottom of the steps, rolling along a little longer until little Jesus Morales stopped it with his foot. He stooped down to pick it up, but recoiled upon touching the hot surface.

Letti rushed down as quick as she could and scooped it up, turning it over every which way. Somehow, despite bouncing several dozen times on the Hogwarts steps, the egg was completely unharmed. Not a crack, not a blemish, scarred its surface. "But how-?"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Professor Patil stood at the top of the stairs looking very cross. She glanced from James to Letti. "Well? Explain yourselves!" Behind her, several other teachers and interested students were gathering.

"It was an accident, Professor, honest!" James Potter's voice had taken on a soft, innocent quality. "I was just walking down to get some fresh air and bumped into her."

Professor Patil glanced disbelievingly at him, then turned her attention on Letti. "Well? Is that what happened?"

Letti was about to say something when Cassie's voice came ringing from behind her. "Absolutely not! James knocked the egg out of her hand and was being a jerk!" She stood next to her friend. "He's totally lying." A few students nearby nodded their heads in agreement.

Professor Patil turned to James. "Care to explain yourself?"

He merely shrugged and held his hands up in surrender.

"Come with me," she said harshly. "I think it's time you and I had a nice long conversation about your behavior." She walked away down the hall, James following closely behind, his head hung low. As the crowd began to disperse, Letti noticed one person in particular whose attention was focused solely on her.

Lily.

Letti's shoulders fell when she saw the other girl's expression. It was pure hatred.

"I'm sure it weren't  _ that _ bad," Hagrid said when she finally arrived. They were sitting in his hut in the Wild Area, an almost complete recreation of the one on the Hogwarts grounds, albeit not ruined. Lysander was already there, having missed the whole affair. Lorcan and Professor Irwin were outside looking at grumpkins.

"You should have seen her, she was furious," Letti moaned, collapsing back into a chair. "She hates me. First I got McCormack expelled, and now her brother is in trouble. It's all my fault."

"Not yer fault they acted improp'ly," Hagrid said. He moved a giant teakettle from the fireplace to the table. "Yer aren't responsible for the actions of others, Letti. Tea's ready!" he shouted to. "Now, les' get a good look at ye." He put on giant oven mitts and picked up the egg from its place on the table, where Letti had left it.

He rolled it over in his hands, examining every minute detail. "An' ye say it bounced down the steps o' the Great Hall?" he asked. "I'm impressed. No' a scratch on it!"

"Do you know what it is?" Lysander asked.

"I 'unno," Hagrid said. "I though' it might be a phoenix when ye firs' described it to me, but it's too big. Migh' be a dragon egg, but I've never seen one wi' this pattern before. Randolph, what do you think?"

Professor Irwin had just entered the cabin. "Hmm?" he said, taking a look. "Well, I don't entirely know. Let's see here." He reached to pick up the egg from Hagrid's hands.

"Wait!-" Letti cried out, but it was too late. Professor Irwin yelped upon grabbing the egg, and it slipped from both his and Hagrid's grasp, falling on the ground and rolling just beside the fireplace.

"No' a worry." Hagrid scooped it up with his giant oven mitts and showed it to them. "Didn't hurt it one bit."

Professor Irwin was busy healing his hands, holding his wand gingerly in one hand and then switching with the other. "Very interesting. Yes, well I'm afraid I have to agree with Hagrid on this one. It's def'nitely not a phoenix, and doesn't match any dragon pattern I know. I'll have to do some digging, see if I can find something in some record books. You've got yourself quite the mystery there, Miss Lunetti."

She nodded solemnly. That seemed to be  _ all _ she had these days.

After leaving Hagrid's and returning the egg to its place by her bed, the rest of the day passed glumly for Letti. Every time she tried to talk to Lily - in the hopes that maybe she could reconcile with the girl and make things better- she was always ignored. The rest of Gryffindor house continued to shirk her and pretend she no longer existed, which turned out to be pretty rotten. And at detention, she once again proved to be an utter failure at controlling the power of her mark.

When she finally returned to her dorm, she flopped on her bed, exhausted. More than anything, she needed sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.

_ Tick tick _ .

What was that?

_ Tick tick _ .

A metallic tapping sound was coming from across the room. It seemed to be coming from the window. Letti groaned. It was probably just some bored lake denizen.

She was about to turn back to her pillow when she noticed something wrong. The egg was normally atop the trunk at the end of her bed, safe and sound. But now, it was…

"Cassie!" she shrieked. "Cassie, wake up!"

Cassie sat up from her bed, rubbing her eyes. "Zwhat?"

"The egg! It's missing!"

Cassie shook herself awake. "Wait, but how?! It was there when I went to bed!"

Letti started throwing her normal robes back on. "I don't know, but it must have been one of the Gryffindors. They want revenge after I got James in trouble and everything!" Cassie started getting herself dressed, nodding in agreement.

_ Tick tick _ .

Letti heard the sound again, but ignored it. She didn't have time to deal with some annoying lake creature right now.

_ Tick tick. _

"Um...Letti?" Cassie's voice was quiet. "I found the egg."

Letti's eyes widened, expecting the worst. But the egg was just there, inside their room, quietly tapping against the glass. It had been the source of the sound all along. That was not why Cassie and Letti were so shocked in that moment, however.

Sticking out from the two tiny holes in the bottom of the egg were two yellow, taloned bird legs.


	13. The Burning Egg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The egg has hatched!
> 
> ...well, sort of. With only its legs showing, the burning egg is mobile. Controlling this bundle of energy turns out to be quite the feat for Letti as monsters threaten the castle.

The Burning Egg

As it turned out, the feet were the only part of the creature to emerge from the egg. What had brought on the feet to break free? What else lay inside the egg? These things still remained a mystery for weeks after the initial discovery.

What was not a mystery was that, whatever lay inside, it was certainly alive. The legs seemed to be in a constant state of motion, always trying to go somewhere and do something. It never seemed to be anywhere in particular, either; so long as there was somewhere for those little legs to run to, they would.

"You're a rascally fella," Letti said to the egg one day, as it attempted to leap down the spiral stairs of the Astronomy Tower. The egg never seemed to have much care for its own well-being, which was all well and good when it was entirely egg - now that the little spindly eggs were sticking out, Letti had become extra-protective of it.

She wasn't the only one. The egg had become something of a sensation around the school after Letti brought it into the Great Hall one morning (she was hoping that being near food might cause the creature to hatch entirely, worrying that it would starve to death). Other students loved to try and take photos of the egg, especially when it scampered off on its own. Half of Letti's MagMeet feed was filled with photos of the egg, and someone had even gone and created a fan Instagram account for it, dubbing it 'Eggsy'.

As if trying to make Eggsy more popular, Professor Irwin had actually helped her rig up a sort of leash - since the egg seemed to have metallic properties, the leash was magnetic, remaining attached no matter how much it tried to escape. Cassie had quickly bedazzled the leash with a number of stickers and glued jewels, and Eggsy's blinged-out appearance was completed.

As fun as it was taking Eggsy around the Hogwarts campus on walks, or watching as the egg furiously butted itself against anything in its way, Letti also had a number of concerns. For starters, did the creature inside need to eat or drink?

"Prob'ly not," Professor Irwin answered when she asked that very question to him. "Many magical critters don't need nutrients the same way you or I do when they're growing. Take the jabberwocky, for example. Why, after it's born, it remains in a comatose state for nearly three hundred years; it still grows during that time, but it never feeds and it never drinks. I wouldn't stress too much about it."

That did make her feel better, for a time. But then again, the jabberwocky didn't  _ do _ anything during that whole three hundred years, whereas Eggsy was exceptionally active. So still, she worried.

The other concern was for its physical well-being. Sure, the egg itself seemed nigh indestructible, but was that true of the two feet as well?

It certainly seemed that way, given Eggsy’s complete disregard for its own safety. Once, before the leash had been made, Eggsy made a triumphant leap off a banister and landed egg-first on to the ground, dropping nearly thirty feet and yet not suffering a scratch. That was actually what prompted the creation of the leash, as Professor Irwin had nearly been struck by the shelled kamikaze.

The only thing that Eggsy seemed to avoid was water. Any time Letti tried taking it for a walk by the Black Lake, it would invariably attempt to get away. What prompted Eggsy to hate the water so much was still very much a mystery, but Letti quickly learned to avoid the lake when taking it along with her.

Eggsy’s behavior was just one of many things Letti was learning. As it turned out, she had shaped up to be an exceptional student. By the end of October, she had quickly mastered a number of the spells her teachers placed before her. Professor Flitwick routinely praised her progress, gleefully noting whenever she mastered a new spell. Professor Malfoy, likewise, seemed pleased with her growth as a witch, though it was always a bit harder to tell with him.

The two classes that continued to give her pause were Potions and Transfiguration. Professor Mercury seemed to hover by her side in class whenever they began working on a potion - somehow, something always seemed to go wrong with her work. Professor Patil, in contrast, avoided commenting on her work as much as possible, instead focusing on the other students whose work was proving to be more successful.

One such student was Lily Potter. Where Letti failed, Lily succeeded. She flew past her classmates in Transfiguration, outpacing them in such a way that there were already talks of her jumping into the second-year class at the start of the next semester. She proved to be an equitable rival for Letti in Charms class, as well: despite a shaky start, she was quickly catching up.

Despite her best efforts, Letti could not rectify the conflicts from the start of the year. No matter what she did, Lily always glared at her with an angry contempt.

“You’ve just gotta accept that some people are going to dislike you, Letti,” Cassie said, echoing Albus’ words from earlier in the year.

“I can understand disliking me, but Lily just hates me! Even if we can’t be friends, I at least don’t want to be enemies.”

They were in the Great Hall. It was Halloween, and the whole space had been decorated for the occasion. Floating candles had been replaced with carved pumpkins, the lights cast eerie shapes on the walls, and bats fluttered around the ceiling. The teachers were all on guard: it was a superstition that something strange always happened at Hogwarts on Halloween.

Letti didn’t think there was much to it. She and Cassie sat at the Slytherin table, Eggsy grumpily plopped next to her in its leash.

“So what exactly is your plan this time?” Cassie asked. She sat across from Letti. “You’ve tried just about every normal way of making nice with her.”

“Easy!” Letti patted Eggsy’s side. “This little one is the key to it.”

“What’s Eggsy going to do?” Cassie looked incredulous. “Did you teach it to follow commands?”

“No, but I don’t  _ need _ it to.” Letti was grinning from ear to ear. “I have the perfect plan. I’ll let Eggsy loose to run around, and once it ends up at the Gryffindor table, I’ll just  _ happen _ to come across Lily. Who can be mad at little ol’ Eggsy?”

“That’s a really dumb plan.” Albus sat down next to Cassie.

“It is not! Cassie, tell him it will be okay.”

The other girl was too busy chewing on a strand of hair to answer. The sudden appearance of Albus had put her on edge.

Letti took that as acceptance. Albus rolled his eyes.

There were two ways to let Eggsy loose. The easiest was to just let go of the leash - the end of it was currently wrapped around her wrist, so that was easier said than done. The second was to pop the leash off Eggsy - this was more difficult than it seemed, since it was magnetically attached to the egg portion and thus rather challenging to remove. Since she had no desire to let Eggsy completely loose, she decided to unwrap it from her wrist.

The effect was instantaneous. She wasn’t sure how, but Eggsy seemed to immediately realize that it was free. It sprung up and began scampering around the hall.

Eggsy's progress towards Gryffindor was hampered as a result of everyone else's adoration for the critter. Ocean Chang of Ravenclaw snatched Eggsy up and attempted to hold it aloft, momentarily forgetting about the fact that the egg's surface was still as hot as an oven. Yowling with pain, he dropped it on to the table; Eggsy took off, knocking over goblets and silverware and plates. Nobody seemed to be particularly angry about the mess - the entire Ravenclaw table was filled with giggles and delight at the sight of the egg running towards the front of the hall. Its path continued all the way to the end of the table, where it gave a little wiggle before leaping down to the floor.

At this point Letti stood up, pretending to be shocked by Eggy's freedom and lazily following it as it darted directly towards the Gryffindor table. Even the Gryffindor students, despite their intense disliking of Letti, were enthralled by the small egg, with James Potter cooing at it as it skittered nearby. She jogged ahead a little faster, hoping to catch up with Eggsy just as it neared Lily's seat. 

Suddenly the egg was lifted upwards, hovering in mid-air. Lily stopped. Professor Malfoy stood with his wand out, a bemused smile gracing his face. "I do believe Professor Irwin made that leash for a reason, Miss Lunetti," he said. He waved his wand, and Eggsy floated towards her. Sighing unhappily, she grabbed her end of the leash. "Please be more careful in the future. The last thing we need is-"

The doors to the Great Hall swung open with great force. Everyone went silent and turned towards the disruption.

Mister Finnigan stood in the doorway, panting, a broom in hand. His brow was drenched in sweat - he looked like he was about to pass out. "At the Qui-the Quidditch Pitch. A whole pack." He took a deep breath. "Hellhounds."

Professor Malfoy was on him in an instant, snatching a goblet with water and handing it to him. "It's okay, Seamus. Talk to me. What happened?"

"I was just cleaning up some of the brooms, giving them a little test fly, when I saw them." Mister Finnigan spoke loudly enough for the whole hall to hear. "At least a dozen of 'em. They're big, Draco, and mean-looking. And they're heading towards the castle." He took a swig of water.

Professor Malfoy turned back towards the front of the hall. He and Headmistress Patil shared a knowing glance, and she nodded before standing up. "Listen, everyone." Her voice was calm, but commanding. "Prefects will lead students back to their dormitories. I need at least one teacher to go and stay with them until this threat is resolved. Professor Mercury, go with Slytherin; Flitwick with Ravenclaw; Bones with Hufflepuff; Longbottom with Gryffindor. Professors Patil, Malfoy, and all other teachers will come with me to the Quidditch Pitch. Mister Finnigan, take a moment to rest, and then you may go be with your students in the dormitory. Students, follow your leaders quickly and quietly. Do  _ not _ take any detours." She waved her hands. "Go."

The Great Hall collapsed into uproar. Letti spun, trying to get her way to where Billy Bonivard was directing the Slytherin students, getting jostled as Professor and Headmistress Patil raced past. Eggsy yanked on its leash, dragging her for a split-second back towards the Gryffindor table. Wincing with pain, she let go. "No!" Eggsy scurried beneath a table.

She crawled underneath the table after it. "Get back here, you!" But Eggsy, being much smaller and having no awareness of the chaos unfolding around it, escaped her grasp and was on the other side in an instant.

Letti groaned and freed herself from beneath the table. The Great Hall was far from empty - the Prefects were having a hard time of getting their classmates to follow them. She caught a glimpse of Eggsy sneaking out of the hall and raced after it.

She snatched the end of its leash just as Eggsy made a leap down the stairs of the Great Hall. "Hah!" she cried. "Got you!"

The sound of screams behind her cut off the moment of triumph.

She spun around. Just outside the doors of the Great Hall, only a few feet from her, a large red rune had appeared in mid-air. It was strange, a giant circle with various other shapes inside, with jagged edges as if someone had made it by slicing through the air with a knife. For a moment Letti stared at it with curiosity. It looked rather like the symbol on her hand. Then some _ thing _ burst out.

The monster was every arachnophobe’s worst nightmare incarnate: a massive, hulking spider. It was an inky-black color, with patches of deep purple scattered across its hide. The skin was as of a reptile’s, scaled and coarse. The abdomen stretched eight feet in length – the legs barely fit within the cramped doorway. At the top of each patella was a gnarled spike, sharp and deadly. The palps contained several smaller spikes, forming a rudimentary clawed hand. Instead of mandibles, however, the beast’s jaw was like that of a flower, unfurling to reveal many sharp teeth on the underside of each petal. The monster opened its jaw in such a manner and released a screeching, gurgling cry that caused the blood of all who could hear it to run cold with fear.

Chaos erupted as soon as it appeared, as students hastened to the back of the Great Hall. The arachnid lashed out, trying to grab at the nearest victims.

Letti stood frozen in terror. What should she do? Her first instinct was just to flee, to run back to her dormitory and hide from this nightmare. But there was another part…

She looked down at her hand. Professor Malfoy had told her the symbol had shown up whenever there was a victory during the Calamity - it had been a symbol of hope and triumph. She looked back up at the beast. Maybe it meant that she needed to make a victory here and now.

"I need you to stay here," Letti said to the egg. She wrapped the end of the leash around a pillar making up the stair railing and tied it tight. "I'll be back, I promise." She stood up, withdrawing her wand from her robes, facing the back of the giant arachnid that was now terrorizing her classmates.

"Stand back, girl. I've got this."

Mister Finnigan stepped in front of her, wand drawn. "This is how an  _ adult _ handles monsters like these.  _ Incendio _ !" A bolt of fire snapped at the behind of the creature.

The beast immediately stopped its attack, spinning around to face its assailant. Despite his conviction, Mister Finnigan's spell did not seem to have done anything other than infuriate the beast, as it stopped one of its eight legs and let out a gurgling roar.

He was undeterred. " _ Incendio Maxima _ !" he cried.

Flames billowed forth from his wand, enveloping the massive creature. But like before, there seemed to be no real harm done. The creature swatted him down the stairs with one of its legs. He landed hard at the bottom, crumpled. Letti shivered - it was hard to tell whether or not he was still alive.

The beast turned back around to the Great Hall, presumably to try and eat the cornered students. Letti frowned. How was she supposed to fight this thing if not even a teacher could really hurt it?

An idea came to her. Maybe she didn't  _ need _ to fight it. Professor Malfoy was one of the most powerful wizards she knew. All she needed to do was keep this monster distracted long enough for him to return and stop it.

"Hey! Uh...stupid!" She waved her arms. "Hey!"

The creature did not respond. More than likely it could barely even hear her over the screams of her fellow classmates.

She groaned. After glancing at Mister Finnigan, who remained unmoving, she turned back to the beast and waved her wand. Some burning sparks crackled against the creature's hide.

It spun around in an instant, growling. Letti gulped. Now she had its attention.

"Erm...hey, stupid!" She hit it with another round of sparks, then hit the ground running. "Come and get me!"

She didn't have to look back to know that her strategy had worked - the monster took off in pursuit of her. It scrabbled against the stones, snarling. She was glad she hadn't tried to fight it head-on. She never would have stood a chance.

She passed the Grand Staircase tower, not trusting her ability to go up the stairs quickly enough to avoid being eaten. Turning a corner, she heard as the monster slammed against the wall, moving paintings exclaiming as they were knocked off their places.

She was in a courtyard: the same one where she had dueled McCormack earlier in the year. There was no time for nostalgia, however, as with the beast hot on her heels she ran through the grassy area. A ghost floated beside her. "We've sent for the Headmistress to return, young miss" he said. "They should be back very soon!"

Letti nodded. She was already starting to run out of breath.

She began running around the edge of the courtyard, beast in pursuit, when she noticed something waddling along in the middle of the grassy space: Eggsy. The leash was still around it, so it must have somehow slipped free from the knot she had made around the pillar. The egg wandered the space aimlessly, not a care in the world.

Letti wasn't the only one who noticed. Seeing a helpless victim, the giant arachnid peeled off and burst back into the courtyard. Before she had a chance to do anything, it swallowed the egg in one gulp.

"NO!" Letti shrieked.

There was a moment of pause, where the monster stood completely still. Then, wheezing, it spat the egg back up, flailing around in the process and clutching its flower-like jaw with its palps. Eggsy barely seemed to have noticed, wandering away slowly with a swaying walk like a drunkard.

She paused. Despite the monster being seemingly invincible to the spells she and Mister Finnigan had unleashed against it, the burning nature of the egg appeared to have actually damaged it. An idea crossed her mind.

"Hey, stupid!" She began waving her arms wildly, trying to get the creature's attention.

It worked. The beast raced towards her, a gurgling snarl catching in its throat. It charged through the half-walls of the courtyard to enter the hall, stone crumbling beneath its heavy form. She waited until it was almost upon her, jaws open, to raise her wand and cry in a confident voice.

" _ INCENDIO _ !"

A spout of flame burst from her wand, not nearly as powerful as what Mister Finnigan had produced and yet still impressive in its own right. The fire smote the interior of the creature's jaw, and the effect was immediate: the giant arachnid recoiled backwards and screeched in pain.

As it flailed about, Letti allowed herself a moment of joy, punching the air with happiness. She had done it!

Then one of its legs swept her, sending her flying into a wall. Her vision blurred, then went dark.


	14. Aftermath

Aftermath

Darkness swam before her. A cold silence filled the air. Letti's eyes snapped open, and she looked around her.

Everything was completely dark.

That's not to say that she had gone blind. When she looked down, she saw her body just fine, her wizarding robes flowing around her. Her feet were bare, as if someone had taken her shoes off. But everything around her - the floor, the walls, the ceiling - was dark. Empty.

She wasn't even sure there  _ was  _ a ceiling or walls around her. As she stepped forward, wandering the void, she certainly didn't seem to encounter any barriers. Everything was wide-open.

What was going on?

She kept walking. The last thing she remembered was the giant spider. She had figured out how to hurt it - fire, inside the mouth. It was vulnerable from the inside. She thought she had defeated it, stopped it from its rampage around the castle…

...and then it had hit her, and she was dashed against the stones.

Had she died?

She looked around furtively. Sure she didn't die; there was still so much for her to do! She had friends now, and was learning so much magic with them! Professor Malfoy was helping her to understand the Calamity better, to control the power in her mark, to make things safe for everyone. There was Eggsy and her curiosity about what lay inside. There was the mystery of her parents: who were they? Who was her mother? And why had they decided to-

She heard a scream.

For a split second she wondered if she had cried out in sadness. But then the sound came again, echoing out from somewhere to her right. She turned and ran in the direction of the noise. It took what felt like several minutes for her to get there - by the time she had arrived, she was out of breath. The scene before her did not help her regain her sense.

A woman was kneeling on the ground, screaming as if in pain. White, luminous chains were shackled to her wrist, pulling her down to a ground which appeared liquid, like the surface of a dark lake - she resisted them, keeping her wrists just barely above the opaque fluid. The woman herself was difficult to make out - she seemed to have long hair that exploded everywhere, but it was hard to tell because her entire body was black. Not a normal black skin tone, either. Her whole body seemed to be made of oil. Even her clothes, which as best Letti could tell was just a simple dress, were made of the stuff. Letti paused. Should she try to help this woman?

The woman suddenly let forth an inhuman scream, like the cry of a banshee, and she was yanked down into the liquid. Letti gasped. She should have tried to help!

And then another woman burst up from the surface.

She looked more normal. Her hair was brown and disheveled. She wore witch's robes with a red emblem stitched over the left breast. Her breath came in panting gasps - her face was red with the effort. Her wrists were bound by shackles, too; black ones, seemingly made of the same oily material the other woman consisted of.

She yanked herself upwards, slowly bringing herself to a standing position. Her eyes opened, full of concentration and fury. "I...won't...let...you...best me!" she declared, pulling her hands up higher. "I've kept you here for this long, and I will continue to do so for as long as it is necessary!"

Letti gasped, and the woman spun toward her. Fury suddenly gave way to concern. "You…" she said. "How are you here?" Her face softened for just a moment. Then her wrists were yanked down, and she was brought to her knees.

Letti was too dumbfounded to think straight. "You...know me?" She shook her head and stepped forward. "Let me help."

"NO!" The woman stood back on her own two feet. "Don't get any closer, or she'll grab you, too!"

Letti paused. "But-"

"No!"

"Who is she?" Letti asked. "Who are you?"

The woman's face softened again. "Oh, dear Leticia. I wish…" Her wrists fell to her waist. "There's so much I wish to tell you. The other woman, her name is Mor-"

She was suddenly thrust below the surface, her words cut short.

The oily woman returned, her luminous shackles glowing in the empty void. She took one look at Letti and laughed. "Oho, so there's another one." Her eyes narrowed to a sneering glare. "You think you can beat me, girl? You don't stand a chance! As soon as I am free of these chains, you will rue the day you-"

She fell below the surface with a howling scream, and the other woman returned.

"Are you okay?" were her first words as she carefully stood up.

Letti nodded.

The woman smiled warmly. "There's so much I wish to tell you, dear. So much you need to know. Did you find the vault?"

Letti nodded. "There was an egg inside. It's hatched, a little."

"Good. Now, you must remember, the key to properly hatching it is-" Her words were cut short by a tug of the chain. She fought against the pull, her face wet with sweat. When finally she seemed to have a moment of reprieve, she turned back to Letti. "You must be brave, dear. I believe in you."

There was a gust of wind, and Letti felt herself getting dragged away. "No!" she cried, reaching a hand out. "No, I want to stay! I want to stay! Mom-!"

* * *

Her eyes snapped open, and she shot up from the bed.

"You're okay," came a reassuring voice. "Lay back down, you need the rest."

Groaning in pain, she obeyed. Professor Malfoy was sitting in a chair nearby, concern etched across his features. She didn't know where she was - the room was big, and there seemed to be many other beds like hers.

"You're in the hospital wing," Professor Malfoy responded. "You suffered some broken bones, more than enough bruises, not to mention a pretty nasty concussion. Though all of those will heal promptly, thanks to the caring hands of our nursing team."

"Wha-happen?" Letti could barely get the words out. Her tongue felt like it was made of lead.

Professor Malfoy sighed. "I only know what I've gathered from others who were there. The Headmistress and I set out with our team to deal with the pack of hellhounds that were wandering the grounds - Seamus was right, they were making a beeline for the castle when we found them. We were just finishing up handling them when some of the castle ghosts found us."

He placed a hand on his forehead. "The creature that was summoned in the castle is not a  _ normal _ wizarding creature, if you hadn't already figured that out. It's called a Gargantula. Think of it like a corrupted acromantula: bigger, sturdier, and vastly more intelligent. One alone could have wiped out the entire student body - I shudder when I think about the groups of them I encountered in the Calamity. And yet…" Now he looked at Letti with a bemused smile. "Somehow, you figured out how to defeat it."

"I 'id?"

He nodded. "We rushed back as quick as we could, but by the time we got there it was already dead, its inside burnt up. You were unconscious nearby, so we assumed you were the one to deliver the killing blow?"

She nodded.

"Impressive. You should know there are only four individuals in the world known for slaying a Gargantula individually, and three of them are here at Hogwarts." He rubbed his temple. "However, Miss Lunetti, I'm going to have to discourage you from such heroism in the future. You nearly got yourself killed. You must promise me that you won't go seeking out such danger. I've known a few people who did such things, and they inevitably got others hurt."

Letti started trying to speak. "B' I ad 'oo!" She sat back, frustrated with her lead tongue. She noticed a journal in her teacher's hands. She jabbed at it.

Professor Malfoy looked from her to the journal. Then, in a moment of understanding, he handed it and a pen to her. She hurriedly wrote in the journal.

_ I had to do something, though! It was going to kill people! _

He nodded. "I understand, Letti, but that's not what I'm asking - from what your fellow classmates told me, you distracted the Gargantula and saved the lives of many. What I'm asking is-" He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Do not go seeking out danger just because it is there. You are capable, yes, but there are plenty of capable witches and wizards in this building who will gladly take care of threats like those."

A memory of the events raced through her mind, and she hastily wrote down a name.  _ Mister Finnigan! _

"He's okay, Letti." Professor Malfoy nudged his chair out of the way, and behind him in another bed she saw Mister Finnigan sitting up, drinking from a bowl of soup. He had bandages all over his body. "He was in much worse shape than you, but he'll make it through."

She sat back and gave a sigh of relief. Then…

_ I think I saw my mom. _

This got his attention. "What do you mean?" he said. "Here? During the attack?"

She shook her head.  _ In..a dream? There was another woman. Dark. _

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't quite follow. Write it out. Take your time."

So she did, as best she could. She wrote about the void, about the oily-dark woman whose laugh still haunted her, the brown-hair woman who looked at her kindly, who she was so certain was her mother. By the end of it she was nearly in tears.

Professor Malfoy read her words carefully - it took him several minutes to digest it all. Finally, he handed her back the journal. "Letti, I'm sorry, but...I have no insight to offer you. Your description matches a hundred different witches, some of whom very well could have given birth to you." Still, he seemed rattled. "Promise me you won't dwell on it. Dreams can so often just be that: a dream."

He stood up. "I have to go. They said you will probably be released sometime tonight - I urge you to take it easy. Rest. You have earned it."

He was beginning to stride out of the hospital wing when a weak voice called out to him. "Draco."

It was Mister Finnigan. He looked ghastly - his face was swollen and covered in bandages, and his hand, which was outstretched towards Professor Malfoy, was hidden beneath a number of wrappings.

Professor Malfoy stopped and knelt next to his colleague. "What is it?"

Letti could barely hear. "I...I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Seamus. What matters is you tried. You bought precious time for everyone.

"No, no. Listen. I'm sorry for...how I've treated you." Mister Finnigan grabbed a nearby glass and downed the water inside. His voice stronger, he continued. "I kept thinking you were the same old Draco who sided with You Know Who, but...you're better now. And I've been a fool. I...I want you to teach me."

"Teach you?" Professor Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Teach you what, exactly?"

"To...defend. To fight. You did all that fighting in the Calamity, and I just...want to be better."

The white-haired man sighed. "Very well. I can teach you. But we'll do it when you're better, yeah?"

The other man nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

After that, the hospital wing was quiet for several hours, with only the nurses to keep her company. They kept fretting over her, trying to make sure her pillow was positioned right, ensuring her bones were healing properly, and chatting senselessly. By the time evening had come around, she was in a sorry mood, though her tongue no longer felt as if it were made of lead.

A cry of joy changed everything. "Letti!" Cassie came bounding into the room, Lorcan and Lysander following close behind.

"You're all okay!"

"Of course we are, you dingus!" Lysander ran in and stole the seat closest from her. "We're not the ones who ticked off a giant spider monster!"

"Yeah,  _ you're _ the one we were all worried about!" Cassie grabbed Lysander and pulled him off the chair. "Seriously, what were you thinking?"

"It was brave." Lorcan stood at the foot of her bed, ignoring the fight over the single chair. "Stupid, but brave."

Letti blushed. "Thanks." She looked around. "Where's Eggsy?"

"Leashed to my bed," Cassie said. "It's been a right little git since yesterday. It took us over an hour to capture it, running all over the place. This one," she pointed at Lysander, "swears he saw it literally fly."

"I did!" He tried unsuccessfully to shove Cassie out of the chair. "We were following it towards the Grand Staircase, right? One moment, it was right in front of us. The next, it was two staircases above us!"

"That's because you got distracted by them burning the spider," Lorcan suggested. "You were fixed on it for a solid minute."

"Was not!"

"Was too."

"ENOUGH!" one of the nurses rushed over. "You will not be bothering my patients when they need their rest. Out, out!" She waved them away.

Cassie gave Letti a gentle pat on the hand before leaving, and Letti felt her heart flutter. Within a moment, however, they were gone, and she was resigned to silence once more.

A few hours later, after she got a little bit of rest and ate some food all on her own, the nurses felt confident enough in her health to release her. As Letti sat up in the bed, she was surprised by how much better she felt than earlier that day. She was still a little bruised, but no longer ached or felt pain simply from trying to move. She dressed into her robes and was escorted out by a nurse.

The halls were dark, dimly lit by torches. Letti had never wandered the castle this late at night; it was forbidden, and she had never had a reason to do so. She stumbled her way down a corridor she thought would take her back to the Slytherin dormitory.

She had just turned a corner when she heard hushed whispers up ahead.

Panicked, she darted into what she was pretty sure was an empty classroom. Inwardly she knew that she didn't need to worry about getting in trouble - after all, the nurses did release her themselves - but something about the aggressiveness of the whispers made her panic anyways.

"-this whole time?" said one voice. It was masculine. In fact, Letti was almost certain it was Professor Malfoy.

"I had my suspicions, of course, but there's never been any concrete evidence." A feminine voice. It sounded like it belonged to either Headmistress or Professor Patil.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" The voices were getting closer. Letti shrunk back further into the classroom.

"What does it matter? We have no idea where they are." There was an awkward pause. "Do you think she was already corrupted when…"

"Who is to say? I mean, if she really is her mother, that might mean that-"

"No, you don't mean to say-"

"Think about it, Parvati. It would make sense as to why he's like that nowadays. Imagine realizing that your own wife was corrupted. That you sired a child with... _ her _ ." The voices were just outside the room now. Letti carefully side-stepped so she was out of sight from the doorway.

"What about the girl? Do you think she's corrupted, too?"

"I haven't noticed anything overt. She seems like a perfectly nice kid. And after the Gargantula-"

"Good point. No servant of  _ hers _ would have tried to stop it from eating the populace."

"My only concern is that mark of hers. We never did figure out what it meant, and I  _ still _ can't find anything in any text, anywhere. It's like it only ever cropped up in the Calamity." There was a long pause. "I'm not unconvinced that the mark comes from the enemy. There's something unnerving about it."

Letti held her breath and inched forward. They were talking about  _ her _ .

"All the more reason for you to focus on getting her to control that mark of hers. From what we know of it, she could wind up accidentally summoning a Gargantula in the middle of her sleep. It's dangerous, Draco."

"Do you regret letting her come here?"

"No, but I regret not asking more questions years ago. That Rebecca Nox woman, she knew more than she let on. I-"

Letti had stumbled into a desk, toppling it. She heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and dove behind a bookcase.

" _ Lumos Maxima _ ." The room became filled with wandlight. Letti pressed herself against the wall, wishing she could become invisible as she heard the two adults enter the room.

"Just an old desk, look," Professor Malfoy said. "The leg snapped - probably was half-rotten from age."

"Ugh, you needn't tell me twice, Draco, I know: our supplies are running short. The Ministry isn't funding us as much as we need anymore, not since I took over from McGonagall. They think we're too extravagant, too unnecessary."

"Hmm. Well, that's a topic for a different day. C'mon, let's go make sure the Gryffindors haven't gone into full revolt with Seamus out of commission." The two of them left, and the room became dark once more.

Letti remained pressed against the wall for a little longer, partly out of fear of getting caught and partly out of the need to digest everything she had just heard. She wasn't entirely sure she understood everything they had said, but one thing was clear:

The adults knew more about her than they were letting on.


	15. Fall From Grace

The months leading up to the Christmas holiday passed quickly at Hogwarts. Letti found herself engulfed and engrossed in schoolwork - while she was fascinated by every bit of wizarding and magical knowledge she could uncover, the amount of homework quickly piled up. Most nights now were spent sitting in the Slytherin common room with Cassie and Albus, poring over assignments.

In truth, most of the homework was not particularly difficult, or even lengthy. The reason for the late-night studies was not out of concern that they would fail: they were each certain they would be at least that successful. No, instead, the reason for their midnight sessions was this: the Fall Cup.

"What's the Fall Cup?" Letti had asked in early November, when she first heard the term.

"Only the second-biggest competition of the year!" Cassie exclaimed excitedly. "The House Cup is the big one, where Headmistress Patil tallies up the points each House has earned over the course of the whole school year. With the Fall Cup, she focuses on academics - the House with the best average scores in all their classes wins, and for the rest of the year, they're celebrated and the school is decorated in their honor."

"Ravenclaw is the House to beat," Lorcan said, beaming. "We've been victorious three years in a row now."

"Yeah, but you've lost the House Cup every year," Lysander pointed out. "Hufflepuff won last year, and Slytherin the two years before that."

Lorcan rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows the House Cup is just a popularity contest. The Fall Cup is clearly the most important."

While everyone doubted the importance of the Fall Cup, there was one thing Lorcan had right: Ravenclaw was the House to beat. Though in the months of November and December, Fall Cup spirit ran high, and every student worked diligently to help their House, Ravenclaw had already begun their preparations back in September.

"We've been running study sessions for months," Lorcan gloated one morning, after walking past the half-asleep Slytherin table. Letti found that she didn't like this side of her pale-haired friend and grumbled her displeasure.

The House Letti had not expected to take anything academic seriously, however, turned out to be very much in the competitive mood. Gryffindor students had radically changed their tune - while most had taken only a passive interest in their education at the start, now they were all hyper-aware and observant in class. Even Max Diggins, who Letti despised with a passion, was now taking serious interest in his coursework.

However, Max Diggins was not her true competitor. That title went to Lily Potter, whose animosity towards Letti had only grown since October. While Letti's battle with the Gargantula had earned her universal favor from just about everyone, including the Gryffindor students who had previously hated her like Max Diggins and James Potter, Lily seemed to despise her even more for it, actively shunning her and glaring at her any time she looked in her direction. Letti frowned - she wanted Lily to at least stop hating her, but that just seemed unlikely now.

Toward mid-December, near the end of the semester, the competitive spirits came to a head.

It started in Transfiguration. It  _ always _ started in Transfiguration. Professor Patil's class was the only one that Letti couldn't keep pace with Lily in.

"For your final assignment," Professor Patil explained, "you are to turn your goblet into a plate. If you are successful, you are guaranteed passing marks for this class. If you are not…" she gazed about the room unhappily. "...you run the risk of failing."

Letti stared at the goblet in front of her intently, glowering at it. She had spent the past two nights studying the spell necessary to completely make this transformation occur. She  _ knew _ she knew how to do it. She just had to make it happen herself.

Beside her, she heard the utterance of a spell and a swish of a wand. Lily Potter's goblet spun in a tight circle before flattening out into a perfect, shining dinner plate. Her shoulders fell as Professor Patil strode over, a beaming smile across her face.

Letti took a deep breath. "You can do this," she whispered.

She twirled her wand and rapped it against the goblet, uttering the words of the spell. She held her breath. The goblet spun in a tight circle, just like it was supposed to. Instead of flattening into a dinner plate, however, it took on a sort of melted look. It had certainly tried to flatten itself, but there was still an oblong bump in the middle that extended halfway up.

Her shoulders fell, and she heard Lily snicker quietly next to her. "Not quite up to snuff," Professor Patil said. "You still have the remainder of class to get it right." She wandered off, leaving Letti in her shame.

Letti tried again and again to get the spell to work. Each time, the metal form that used to be a proper goblet would spin in a neat loop, and it would steadily shrink itself lower and lower. But when the hour had passed, she still had a strange bulbous shape emerging from the middle of the plate. She sat back in her seat, ashamed, and looked over at Jesus, the only other Slytherin in the class. He hadn't fared much better.

By contrast, the Gryffindor students had all been extremely successful, though Lily Potter was the only one to succeed on her first try. After the teacher had finished tallying all the scores, they whooped and hollered in triumph. Letti hung her head low.

"It's okay," Lily said next to her.

Letti looked up, unused to pleasant remarks. "It is?"

"Yeah! At least when Gryffindor wins the Fall Cup, you'll know  _ you _ were responsible for helping us." She laughed cruelly and high-fived another Gryffindor.

Letti looked away and clenched her fists. She was so mad for falling for the other girl's trick.

When class ended, things only got worse. One of the victors - Max Diggins, Letti surmised - had snuck wizarding firecrackers into their bags, and proceeded to start setting them off as soon as they got in the hallway, chanting "Gryffindor! Gryffindor!" as they proudly strutted.

Lily pulled one out and lit it with the tip of her wand, watching with eyes aglow as it spiraled up to the ceiling and exploded in a shower of light. Letti shrugged away from her and started walking in the opposite direction. She didn't want any part of this.

Max Diggins, however, had different ideas. He ran in front of her, waving a firecracker in her face. "Big D in the house! Why don't you light one, since you're helping us win!"

"Go away."

He was insistent. "C'mon, light a firecracker, it'll be fun! Don't be lame!"

She tried to walk around him.

Max shifted himself in front of her. "Don't be a sourpuss! What, are you just upset because you're a loser?" He waved the firecracker in front of her face again.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Two things happened at once. First, the mark on her hand flared to life, shining so brightly that those immediately around her had to shield their faces to protect themselves from its light. Secondly, two spells rocketed out from her mark: an Air Gust charm, and a Fire spell.

The Air Gust charm hit Max first, blasting him far, far away down the hall. In fact, it hit him with such force so quickly that the Fire spell did not actually impact him in the slightest, a few stray embers gracing his arm but nothing more.

What the Fire spell did strike, however, was the firecracker.

Max, stunned, lying on the floor, didn't realize until too late that the firecracker was lit, the tail end sputtering towards the rocket. By the time he was sat up and vainly threw the rocket away, it was already going off.

An explosion of colorful light illuminated around him, immediately concealing him behind the blast. For a split second, the only sound that could be heard was the bangs of the firecracker, individual sparks flying against the stone.

Then the screams started.

Max Diggins was on fire, his robes alight. Several students rushed to his aid - an older one pulled out their wand, and a stream of water jet forth and doused the flames. Two other students started working to pick him up to take him to the hospital wing.

Professor Patil burst out of her classroom, took one look at the situation, and turned to the group of nearby students. "What happened?" she demanded.

Most of them said nothing, heads hung low. It was Lily Potter who broke the silence, raising an accusatory finger and pointing it in Letti's direction. "It was her. She sent Max flying and set him on fire."

Professor Patil looked Letti up and down, then said, "Follow me." She stormed past her, robes swirling about.

Letti hastily followed. She had no idea what was going on. She had barely registered what had happened to Max.

The professor took her to a part of the castle she had not yet fully explored yet. A large stone gargoyle perched in front of a wall, its eyes narrowed in a fierce glare. "Maheshwaran." The gargoyle grimly stepped aside, and the wall that was behind it parted into a gate, revealing a spiral staircase inside. As they stepped onto the staircase, the wall closed with a mighty  _ thud _ behind them, and the staircase snaked its way up the narrow column. Letti was just starting to feel dizzy when it stopped before a giant oak door, with a brass griffin for a knocker. Her stomach sank as she realized where she was going. She was being taken before the Headmistress.

The door opened, and both stepped inside. Professor Patil directed Letti to a small leather chair. Once she was seated, the professor told her to wait, and left her.

Letti looked around the room. It was certainly the strangest teacher's office she had ever seen. It consisted of two circular rooms, with the room she was in - a kind of secretarial entrance room - sitting slightly lower than the other. In the room where she sat, bookcases lined the rounded walls, filled to the brim with tomes. Letti was immediately reminded of Professor Malfoy's office.

Portraits of old men adorned the walls, with one exception: a striking old woman whose gaze seemed to peer into Letti's soul. She shivered. Whoever the woman was, she was glad to not be in trouble with her.

In the second room, a large oak desk filled much of the space. It was covered with papers, books, and, curiously, a desktop computer. On either side of the desk were rounded staircases leading up to a space she could not see - she assumed that was the headmistress' room. In a sealed glass cupboard nestled in a nook in the wall, she could see several interesting artifacts. One of them was the Sorting Hat, which peered curiously back at her. There was also a shining silver sword, a glimmering ring, and two broken halves of a crooked wand. She wasn't sure what they were, but each of them must have been extremely important to be held behind glass in the headmistress' office.

The door opened, causing Letti to shudder with surprise. Headmistress Patil entered. She did not seem happy.

"Come." She beckoned Letti to step up towards the desk, while she herself stood behind it. "Tell me what happened."

Letti did her best to explain. Throughout the story, the headmistress refused to look at her, a hand on her chin while her eyes gazed absentmindedly downward at her desk. When the girl had finished, an eerie silence pervaded the space for an entire minute. Letti shifted weight between her feet awkwardly.

"Am I...expelled?"

The headmistress looked up at her grimly. "A classmate is in the hospital wing with grave injuries - had anyone stalled in bringing him to our nurses, there is a good chance he might have died. They are doing what they can, but there is a chance he will have some permanent scarring." She paused, sighing deeply. "However, it was clear that this was an accident - all of the students spoken to mentioned that your wand was still withdrawn, and none of them are aware of your powers. That said, I think it best-"

The door burst open, and a disheveled Professor Malfoy stepped through. "I apologize, Parvati, I just-"

"It's okay, Professor Malfoy. Come in." The headmistress looked a little perturbed at the interruption. "I was just getting the facts from Miss Lunetti here."

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"That mark of hers is proving to be as dangerous as we thought. It produced not just one but  _ two _ spells simultaneously."

He looked down at Letti. "Is this true?"

She shrugged, staring down at her feet. "Yeah, I guess."

"Did you mean to do this?"

"No! I didn't want to hurt him. I just wanted him to get out of my face."

The headmistress gave the professor a knowing glance. "I thought I told you to help her get control of her powers at the start of term."

"We've been trying but progress is...stagnated." It was Professor Malfoy's turn to look disheartened. "I've had her come in nearly every day, but we cannot get her to intentionally replicate any spell on her own. By accident? Absolutely. But never on purpose. Perhaps if we-"

"Dammit, Draco, this was exactly what I was afraid of." The headmistress paced around the space behind her desk, hand on her forehead. "I've been telling you for weeks now that we need to go to him, but you just won't listen."

"What use is he going to do for us?" Professor Malfoy snapped. "All he cares about now is his reputation. If he gave a damn about what was actually going on, all the signs, then-" He stormed away, but only left into the lower room. He rubbed his chin aggressively, exasperated.

"Who?" Letti dared to ask. "Is there someone who can help me?"

The adults looked at each other - they seemed to have forgotten that Letti was even there.

"There is someone who might be able to help, yes," Patil said.

"Emphasis on  _ might _ ," said the professor sourly.

She gave him a glaring glance and moved on. "During the Calamity, there was only one other person who understood the entities and magics that were being unleashed. Arguably he was the strongest fighter we had against the Calamity." She paused for a brief second before saying his name. "Harry Potter."

Professor Malfoy turned away in disgust.

"While he has certainly changed since the Calamity ended, there is a good chance he has some knowledge that could be of use to us. After all, he more than either of us would understand what it's like to have a mark you don't entirely understand."

Malfoy scoffed. "His scar and her mark are two entirely different-"

"Yes, but he might still be of us." The headmistress seemed disappointed in the professor's attitude. "I'm no fan of his, either, but we cannot let old feuds divide us. That's what caused the Calamity to be such a mess in the first place, remember? And now, with what's going on-"

"What do you mean?" Letti looked from one adult to the other. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing." The headmistress bit her lip. "I misspoke."

"NO!" Letti stomped her foot in frustration. The mark on her hand flared to life, and the lights in the room began to fade as if being covered by an unseen force. "I'm tired of everyone keeping things from me! I want to know what's going on!"

She took a deep breath, and the shadows faded away. The adults looked at each other awkwardly. "Look," Letti continued, "I know that I'm only twelve. But...it feels like everyone is keeping secrets from me  _ about _ me. Who my mother is, what happened during the Calamity, what my mark means...don't I deserve to know?"

The headmistress looked at the professor. "She's right, you know."

Professor Malfoy nodded. "I recall how much Dumbledore's secrets cost us when we were in school. It's funny, how we seem doomed to repeat history's mistakes."

"And yet now we're presented with the opportunity to correct them." Headmistress Patil turned to Letti. "You're right. We've been keeping too much from you, and you deserve to know some truths."

"It's time to tell you who your mother really is."


	16. No More Secrets

"My mother?" Letti stared down Professor Malfoy. "You mean...you've known who she was this whole time?"

He frowned. "No. I had some suspicions when you first arrived, but until you told me of your dream, the vision, they were just that: suspicions." He glanced at Headmistress Patil. "Even now, I am hesitant to say anything without complete certainty-"

"Just get on with it, Draco." The headmistress sounded almost bored.

The professor adjusted his robes. "Very well." Turning back to Letti, he asked, "What do you know of the Second Wizarding War?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. Erm...there was a lot of fighting between dark wizards and good ones. There was a really bad guy, I don't remember his name...Voldymore?"

"Voldemort." Professor Malfoy sounded disappointed. "Remind me to have a chat with your history professor later."

"Erm, yeah, Voldemort, sorry. Anyways, he was really bad and wanted to kill non-wizards and people who weren't pureblood, even though he wasn't pureblood himself, and...he killed a lot of people. Harry Potter stopped him here at Hogwarts. Right?"

Headmistress Patil whistled, stopping at a furious glance from Professor Malfoy. "You are correct," he said, "Extremely loose on some of the finer details, perhaps, but yes, you've got the gist. Do you remember who Harry's key allies were?"

Letti looked down at her feet. "Erm...not really, no."

"Do you remember hearing of a witch named Hermione Granger? Or perhaps, using her married name, Hermione Weasley?"

Letti looked back up and cocked her head to the side. "Maybe? It sounds familiar."

"It should, she was the smartest of us all." Though the words were a compliment, Professor Malfoy's tone sounded bitter, almost jealous. "Extremely smart and exceptionally powerful. She had a certain voracity for reading books and learning spells, even inventing some new ones of her own. Though a bit of a goody-two-shoes, she had a tendency to get into certain amounts of trouble quite often. Sound like a certain someone you know?" He raised an eyebrow.

Letti started to piece things together. "Are you saying that my mother is this...Hermione?"

Headmistress Patil nodded. "It seems most likely. Hermione was one of our finest witches, but when the Calamity first started...she went missing. We assumed she had been kidnapped or killed like many others, and there simply wasn't enough time to investigate fully - at that point cities were under siege by monsters, and we had our hands full."

"Then she came back." Professor Malfoy stood up and walked over to the glass cabinet full of artifacts. His shoulders sank with memory. "At the time, it seemed like a miracle. One of our best and brightest, returning from the dead to help us fight the oncoming hordes. Not only that, but she possessed a unique ability: she could tame and control some of the monsters. Hellhounds, Gargantulas, even Nightcrawlers - all would obey her command. I can't tell you how many thousands she saved, how many times we were nearly done for, only to have her come in. The tide was turning for our side.

"And then…" Professor Malfoy's head hung low. "It was like a switch was flipped. Her hair and eyes turned black, her skin was even more white and pale than before, and she turned against us. In a single day she nearly wiped out Prague with an army of monsters at her disposal. Nothing seemed capable of stopping her."

"But it wasn't really her," the headmistress added. "It was like...something had possessed her. After a few weeks, she no longer even called herself Hermione. She went by the name of Morgana."

Upon uttering the name, the air suddenly grew more cold. The lights in the room flickered and dimmed. It was as if saying the name itself had cast a shadow in the space, and Letti rubbed her shoulders. "So Hermione turned...evil?"

"Yes and no." Professor Malfoy paced about the room. "Like Parvati said, she no longer called herself Hermione. Still the same physical form, but...indeed, our best theory is that some dark force possessed her. The origins of this force, and how exactly Hermione came to be its host, are still unknown.

"I think, and I believe the headmistress will back me up on this, that Hermione was fighting it. When she first returned, she was already possessed, but she was strong and able to hold it back. Use its own power against the Calamity forces. Throughout the remainder of the Calamity, she would appear and disappear for weeks, even months at a time. During one of these excursions, I suspect, you were born."

Letti looked up. She had been trying to block the bad parts up until now.

The professor took note of her renewed interest and continued. "There are quite a few gaps we still need to fill in, to be sure, but it makes sense. The hushed secrecy of your parentage, hiding you away in another country without revealing your magical heritage...if Hermione thought for a second that you could be put in danger, she would not hesitate to ensure your safety. She was, first and foremost, a caring person."

"What about Luna Lovegood? Her name was carved in my vault at Gringotts?"

He rubbed his chin. "Hmm, yes, that does make things interesting." He turned to the headmistress. "Your sister was in the same house as Luna, if I recall. Is there any chance she could shed some light on the subject?"

"I can certainly ask."

Professor Malfoy finally stood still. He seemed lost in thought. Then, a moment later, he lifted his head and looked at Letti sternly. "There are still quite a few mysteries we have yet to solve, Miss Lunetti. Some, such as the identity of your father, I suspect will be easier to solve than others. No, we don't know for sure," he added, stopping Letti from interrupting with a question. "But we can find out soon enough. The nature of your mark, however, is the greatest mystery, and one that I suspect will provide many more answers than what we are looking for. However, Headmistress Patil and I have exhausted our collective knowledge in identifying its origins. We will have to, reluctantly, turn to another who could unlock some of these secrets." He caught Letti's questioning glance and sighed exasperatedly, turning to the headmistress. "Don't make me say it, please."

The headmistress rolled her eyes. "We believe that Harry Potter will have some insight that can help us."

"Harry Potter?" Letti knew of him, of course: a wizarding hero.

"Yes. He has a mark of his own, a scar on his forehead, and as an Auror he did quite a number of investigations into magical marks. There is a good chance he could help us. Help you. Even if our dear professor here is too proud to admit it." She paused. "What I believe Professor Malfoy is also getting at is this: please do not try to find these answers on your own. The history of the Calamity is one fraught with violence and bloodshed. Entities like the Gargantula are far from the most dangerous creatures that time unleashed. Yes, Draco?"

The professor had a sour expression on his face. "I...hmm." He paused. "I don't mean to contradict you, Parvati, but I think simply trying to stop Miss Lunetti here from seeking answers on her own will do little good. She has already proven herself quite resourceful, and I seem to recall during our time that outright banning certain activities tended to make them more enticing to students. Perhaps I can amend your request?"

She sighed and waved a hand. "Very well." Letti heard the headmistress mutter under her breath. "Insufferable."

The professor ignored her. "Rather than entirely stopping you from seeking answers on your own, allow me to say this: if you find yourself getting close to something, and it seems dangerous, contact one of us: myself, Headmistress Patil, or even your friend Henrietta Hazelwood. As the headmistress mentioned, the Calamity was fraught with danger, and the last thing we want is for you to get in over your head." He looked at her straight in the eyes. "Can you promise me that you will come to us if you find yourself getting close to something?"

Letti nodded meekly. "Erm, yes, sir. I will. I promise."

He nodded. "Good."

"Go back to your dormitory, Letti." Headmistress Patil waved her toward the door. "Reflect on our conversation, as I am sure you have much to process. And…" she paused. "Do try to keep out of trouble. I don't want to see you in my office again unless it is under positive circumstances."


	17. The Holiday Party

The remaining time before the end of term was the worst ever. Letti knew that classmates, especially Gryffindors, would blame her for what had happened with Max Diggins, but she had not quite expected the universal animosity that the collective school seemed to hold. The goodwill bestowed upon her for saving the school from the Gargantula had been quashed in an instant.

Some of this, at least, felt justified. Despite the medical wing's best efforts, Max's face was a little scarred, the once spotless space of his left cheek now marred with grim lines. Of course, he was acting as if he had become grossly disfigured.

"They tell me I may never look the same," he mourned, his voice as dramatic as a playwright. "I might end up homeless on the streets - nobody will want to hire a disgusting wretch like me."

Many people rolled their eyes at his antics, but the fact remained that she had injured him. Though she had been promptly ushered to the headmistress, others had remained to try and help him to the medical wing. It had been a horrifying moment, apparently, as much of his face was badly burnt.

Yet, for the most part, Max's slight disfigurement hardly seemed to weigh on the majority of her classmates. In truth, it was the wild rumors about her powers and her knack for getting mixed into the big events of the semester that resulted in wild speculation.

"She's an evil spirit," she heard a gaggle of Hufflepuffs whispering as she walked past one evening. "That's why she can do magic without her wand: she's possessed."

"I heard she's You-Know-Who reborn," a nearby Ravenclaw was boasting in the Great Hall one morning. "She has the weird mark on her hand, and that says she's gonna become the next Dark Lord."

Not even her friends were there to back her up. Lorcan and Lysander had all but abandoned her, hearing and believing much of the story that Letti had aggressively attacked Max Diggins. Cassie, for her part, still ate with Letti during meals and studied with her, but there was a strain on their relationship: she had refused to tell her what she had learned in the headmistress' office. She knew it was wrong to withhold such information from a good friend, but what could she tell her? That she might be the child of a powerful witch who turned evil, and might actually be alive? Given how weird everyone reacted to the Calamity, she felt it was best to just keep silent.

Thus did her first semester at Hogwarts come to pass: lonely. She made good marks in all her classes (better in most than Lily Potter, much to her delight) and kept out of sight. After all, the winter holidays were upon her, and there was good reason to be excited.

Henrietta Hazelwood, the woman who had pulled her out of her bland Muggle life, had offered for her to stay with her at her home in London for the holidays. Letti had to confess that she was fascinated: having stayed before the school term at the Leaky Cauldron, she had never thought to wonder about what the young woman's home would be like. When the term finally ended and it was time to leave, she excitedly arrived at King's Cross Station prepared for expectations to be blown.

It was easy to spot her: even for a wizard, her bright blue robes stood out from the crowd. She waved her white-gloved hands excitedly, the feather in her hat bouncing up and down with similar energy. "Look at you!" she exclaimed. "You've grown so much already!"

Letti grinned as Henrietta gave her a tight hug. She wasn't normally one for open affection, but something about the young woman just made her feel so happy to be included.

"Tell me all about your first semester! I want to know  _ everything _ ."

"You already know everything! I texted  _ and  _ called you, remember?"

Henrietta scoffed. "Yes, but there's such a difference between phone calls and  _ real _ conversation. Come on! We're in no rush. Tell me about the friends you made!"

Letti did her best to try and tell her about meeting her friends on the Hogwarts Express, hanging out in the Wild Zone, and their close bonds. When she started thinking about the past few weeks and their sudden split, tears came to her eyes. Henrietta was quick to quell the raindrops. "It's okay, dear, you don't need to focus on that right now. We're nearly to the car, anyways."

They stepped out to a busy street, along which many vehicles were parked. Letti tried to guess which one might belong to Henrietta. Was she the type of person who would drive the sporty, bright convertible? It seemed unlikely; Henrietta was colorful, but she wasn't intentionally flashy. Perhaps her car would be the dim old Volkswagen? No, that certainly didn't seem her style.

She was so distracted with her thought-game that she bumped into the young woman as she stopped. Letti turned. The car in front of them was a sleek Aston Martin, glimmering white in the pale sunlight. It was the type of vehicle more suited for James Bond than a young witch.

"This is  _ your _ car?" Letti asked, bewildered.

"Yes, dear, now come on. Put your things in the trunk." Henrietta flicked her wand, and the tiny trunk of the car opened.

Even as they started to drive through the streets of London, Letti found herself at a loss for words. "But...how?"

Henrietta knew what she was talking about. "It's...complicated. Well, okay, not  _ that  _ complicated. My family comes from a great deal of wealth. It's something that many, many other witches and wizards would dream of, but for me it has always been a bit of a curse."

"A curse?" Letti glanced down at her mark.

"Okay, maybe  _ curse _ was a poor choice of words." Henrietta sighed. "When you're born into a wealthy family, they have certain expectations. The subjects you study, the career you choose, the person you marry...your whole life is laid before you, set in stone by them from the moment you're born. If you even so much as attempt to do something different, they threaten to cut ties with you, and when you've only ever grown up in wealth, the idea of losing it becomes...heartbreaking."

"So you're stuck doing what they want you to do?"

Henrietta smirked. "Hardly, dear. When I was a teenager, I decided that I no longer wanted to be beholden to their expectations of me and did what I wanted to do. I stopped studying to be some dainty little princess like they wanted, dated boys who were not obnoxiously wealthy, and joined up with the Ministry as soon as I graduated. They cut me out of the inheritance, of course, but my freedom is far more precious."

"But how did you afford…?" Letti waved her hands around, indicating the vehicle.

"Oh, they still try to shower me with presents now and again: bribes, hoping it will convince me to come back to them. Pointless, of course. I've grown too fond of making my own mistakes and being outside of their influence."

"But you still accept their gifts."

"Of course! Just because they  _ try _ to bribe me doesn't mean I actually have to do anything. I'm under no obligation if they just happen to send fancy cars or dresses my way." She smiled. "Honestly, I think that most of the gifts come from my father, to spite my mother. He always took some enjoyment from my rebellions."

"Oh." Letti was unsure of what to say. She had suddenly gone from knowing very little about Henrietta to knowing a lot.

The rest of the car ride was less revelatory, but no less interesting. As Henrietta drove calmly through busy intersections, she detailed a career change from the Magical Child Services department to becoming an Auror.

"How did that happen?" Letti began, "And why didn't you tell me!?" She knew that the young woman didn't owe her anything, but she was still displeased that something this big had been withheld.

"It only just happened, dear, and I didn't want to tell you in case things fell through. It was quite the process - I was interviewed five separate times and they ran who-knows-how-many background checks. Incredibly extensive. But you want to know something exciting?" She leaned close to Letti and spoke in a hushed whisper. "I was interviewed by none other than Harry Potter himself."

"Really?" Letti wasn't sure whether to be in awe or jealous. Ever since her meeting with Professor Malfoy and Headmistress Patil, she had wanted nothing more than to speak with Harry Potter. He might be the key to understanding some of her history!

"Mhmm, sure did! He was an interesting fellow…" At this, Henrietta frowned. "I'm not sure he'll be the best co-worker, if I'm honest with you. But! Not three days ago, they approved of my transfer. So now I will be Auror Hazelwood! Oh, my mother would be livid."

"Why did you decide to change jobs?"

"Oh, well because of you, dear! You made me realize that there was so much more going on in the big wide world, and I just had to be a part of it. And our little adventure down in Gringotts made me realize that perhaps I could put my talents to better use somewhere else." She smiled warmly at Letti. "You inspired me. Ah, here we are!" Her voice took on a singing quality.

She parked alongside a narrow London street filled with tall flats. All of them were nearly identical: grey, drab, and absolutely boring. Letti felt it was the opposite of Henrietta. "This is where you live?"

The young woman noticed the disappointed tone in her voice. "Yes, this is my home. I know it doesn't look like much on the outside, but just wait! You'll see a good ol' Hazelwood touch soon enough. Come, let's grab your bags here."

She led Letti up the steps of a nearby flat. "Wait!" Letti said. "Is it okay to leave your car on the street like that? It's so nice…"

Henrietta laughed. "Of course, dear! You think I would keep a fancy car like that and not set some magical protections around it? Watch." She waved her wand. " _ Diffindo _ ."

A bolt of light issued from her wand towards the car. Before it could hit the vehicle, however, it struck a web of light threads that encompassed it, causing the spell to dissipate entirely. Letti thought it looked an awful lot like a regular Shield Charm.

"See?" Henrietta looked proud. "It has some anti-theft charms, too, so nobody can go off and try to steal it. Trust me, it'll be fine." She turned back towards the steps. "Come on in to Casa Hazelwood!" The bland black door swung open, and Letti was fairly certain she had entered a different universe.

Everything in the house was a different color: the walls were a bright green, the wooden floors a rich brown, and the ceiling was a shining white. The entry hallway was incredibly narrow, made so by the overlarge, overfilled bookcase that crowded the space - Letti had to be careful not to tread on any books as she entered.

The living room was much the same: a brilliant blue couch filled up the bulk of the space, but a neon-orange armchair sat next to it and a yellow table lay between them and the fireplace, which was covered in various knick-knacks ranging from snow globes to porcelain cats. The walls were flush with bookshelves and bookcases, and with awe Letti realized that there was a bookcase attached to the very ceiling, books somehow held in place above her head. She let out a gasp, lost for words.

Henrietta squealed. "You like it?"

"I...I don't even know what to think." Letti took a deep breath and then nodded. "Yeah! It's...it's amazing! How do you keep the books up there?"

The young woman grinned mischievously. "Oh, that's actually a combination of witch and Muggle tricks. The bookcase is bolted up there, of course, just with regular nails and screws and some extra reinforcement on the floor above - it's magnetic, too, and so every book has a magnetic strip along the inside of its spine to hold it up there. But to get them down…" She waved her wand. " _ Accio _ Chaucer." A single book extricated itself from the rest and hovered to her open hand. "You have to use magic to get it back up, too. I'll teach you later. Let me show you to your room."

Her bedroom was just as crazy and crowded as the rest of the house, with no less than four bookcases lining the walls. The bed, a small affair, looked as if it had been recently crammed between two such cases. "I know it's a tight fit," Henrietta apologized. "If I need to move one of the shelves out so you'll be more comfortable I am happy to do so."

Letti turned to her with a wide grin. "It's great."

She wasn't lying. Though the bed was smaller than what she had grown used to at Hogwarts - and she now went to sleep with the worry of being crushed to death by piles of books - Henrietta's home was amazing.

She quickly learned that Henrietta expected her to carry her own weight around the house. Various household chores - cleaning dishes, washing laundry, and dusting bookshelves - were written down on a little whiteboard the young woman had hanging from her refrigerator. Despite this requirement to help out around the house, Letti couldn't help but notice that Henrietta still did most of the chores herself.

During the first few days of her stay, Letti was left mostly to herself around the house, as Henrietta still had to go into work. She didn't entirely mind this: the sheer number of books now at her disposal could keep her busy for years. That said, it did not help with the loneliness. Even though she had swapped phone numbers with Cassie and the Scamander twins at the start of term, none of them had texted her since the start of the holiday. It was as if she had been forgotten.

At the end of the fourth day, however, all sense of loneliness was forgotten.

Henrietta came home the same time as always. As usual, there was a cheerful bounce in her step. But as Letti came out to greet her, there was no denying that Henrietta was  _ extra _ bouncy this evening. She was humming a happy tune, a wide smile gracing her lips. She barely seemed to touch the ground, her steps tapping the concrete before going airborne again.

"What's got you all excited?" Letti asked, amused.

"I just got the most wonderful news," the young woman said. "Come, I'll tell you over dinner."

They entered the kitchen, the only room that did not contain a bookshelf, though it made up for that in the sheer amount of cooking utensils. "So every year, the Ministry holds a massive gala for the big-wigs of the magical world," Henrietta explained. "The Holiday Party. It's always in the main chamber of the old Ministry offices. Fancy food, fancy dresses, and some of the best entertainment around. Normally parties aren't even my thing, but this one is something else. You can't get in without an invitation, though, and it's usually just the higher-ups who get invited. Buuuuut…"

"You got in?" Letti guessed.

Henrietta hopped gleefully and whipped out two tickets from her pockets. "I got us  _ both _ in!" She immediately set the tickets on the kitchen table and spun in a circle. "Oh, this will be wonderful! Just think: we'll be next to some of the most powerful people in the government! This will be an amazing experience for you." She turned to Letti, a slight frown on her face. "Do you happen to have dress robes?"

"You mean like my school robes?"

"No, dear, like...something fancy. Do you maybe have a pretty dress?"

Letti shrugged. "Not really. Luna never really took me anywhere nice, so there was no need."

"Okay, so we'll have to get you something before then. The party is in just three days, so that doesn't give us much time…" Henrietta paused, thinking as she started the oven. "Tomorrow I can take you to Diagon Alley and we can find you something to wear. In the meantime, I want you to think about what you'd like to wear. We won't have much time to waste searching."

"Can't I just wear one of the fancy dresses you have?" Letti actually didn't know if Henrietta had many dresses of her own, but despite being a decade older they were both about the same size.

"Sorry, dear, but I only have the one dress myself." She thought for a moment. "Actually, I may be in need of getting something, too. I'll have to look at it, it's been so long." She shook her head. "Anyways. Think about what kind of dress you might want to wear. Oh! Or if you would rather wear a suit. That's fine, too, dear."

The next 24 hours were thus spent with Letti frantically trying to figure out what she would want to wear. What was her style? Having never attended fancy parties before, or honestly having never even thought about attending a fancy party before, she had never considered what her style would be. Would she be flashy and bright? She suspected Henrietta would be as much, but was that really the type of person she wanted to be, too? Or maybe she could be dark and mysterious...but looking at the mark on her hand, she thought she was already plenty mysterious on her own.

She explored Henrietta's flat to try and find inspiration. In addition to all the books, the young woman had posters and paintings of many different influential witches and wizards throughout the ages. But these were largely unhelpful: too many of them were from hundreds of years ago, and the dresses of the age were ridiculously large. Definitely not her style.

An idea popped into her head. Henrietta said that this would be an event where she would be seen by many of the big-wigs in the Ministry: the most powerful witches and wizards in the government. It was intimidating, but also an opportunity. After all, if she wanted to work as part of the Ministry someday, this might be a moment for her to show herself off for who she was. Specifically, who she was related to.

She scoured the shelves for a book she had seen the other day. "Where is it?" she muttered to herself, eyes flitting across every spine. After a ten-minute search, she spotted it in the shelf attached to the ceiling. Letti held out her marked hand. " _ Accio  _ The History of the Second Wizarding War!"

The book flew into her outstretched hand. Letti grinned - she was learning to control her power, little by little; if she  _ said _ the spell she wanted, she could cast it even without her wand. 

The tome was large, but Letti knew exactly what she was looking for.  _ Who _ she was looking for. She flipped the pages frantically. Eventually she found the page she needed and read the title of the biography out loud.

"Hermione Granger."

There was an image of a young witch, not much older than her, standing confidently in front of the steps of Hogwarts. Letti was surprised people hadn't made the connection between them before: they could have been twins, with their bushy brown hair, teeth that seemed just a little too large, and chocolate-brown eyes. It was the first time Letti had properly realized that she knew who her mother was - even if she couldn't talk to her, just the knowledge of who she was gave her a sense of peace.

Unfortunately, there did not appear to be any images of her mother in formal dress - most of the images were of her in her school uniform, or of her later as a Ministry official. Letti set the book aside, frustrated, and went to retrieve her phone. With the power of the internet, she was sure to succeed.

She was not wrong. Online, there were hundreds of photos of Hermione dressed in formal wear. Letti frowned. Most of them were from when she was an adult, and the dresses were far too extravagant to be anything she could afford. She wanted to look similar to her mother, but didn't want to spend a million dollars on just one stinkin' dress!

After an hour of searching, she finally found the perfect one.

Henrietta came home not long after, as bouncy as ever. "Ready?" she asked. Letti nodded.

She took her to a fancy dress shop called Twilfitt and Tattings. It was easily the fanciest shop she had ever been to, and several of the other patrons looked down at her like she was dirty or unworthy of even stepping foot in the building. Regardless, though, she was a girl on a mission. She showed one of the employees, a large, cheery woman, a picture of what she was looking for, and the woman immediately set off and found her something almost identical. Letti tried it on - it fit, much to her surprise. She glanced down. "Can you...sew something on to it?" she asked nervously.

"Of course, m'dear!" The woman did not seem to mind the request at all. "What is it you would like?"

Two days later, Letti fretted nervously in her bedroom, her hands drumming nervously on her legs. Henrietta was still finishing up in the sole bathroom, preparing for the party.

Henrietta had told her that there would be at least a hundred people at this party - it would be one of the biggest magical events of the year. All of the higher-ups from the Ministry, and many other famous witches and wizards from around the globe, would be in attendance. What right did little old Leticia Lunetti have going to something like this?

"How do I look?"

Henrietta stepped out of the bathroom. Her dress, to nobody's surprise, was a bright sapphire blue. The way it was arranged it looked as if she were wearing a sash over it, the cloth draping over her left shoulder and wrapping around her torso. She wore little cauldron earrings and a ring with a golden Snitch on it, the first time Letti had noticed her ever wearing jewelry. She had deliberately curled her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders elegantly.

"You look nice!"

The young woman smiled. "You look pretty nice yourself, Miss Lunetti! Let's fix up your hair one last time before we go."

Letti stood before the giant mirror in the bathroom while Henrietta attempted to organize her unruly hair. Letti's dress was large and pink - by far the most colorful article of clothing she had ever worn her whole life. It was less frilly than the dress her mother had worn when she was a teenager, but Letti was okay with that - she didn't overly like the idea of a frilly dress, anyways. Over the left breast, the insignia on her hand had been stitched. Letti had been nervous about it, wondering if it was the right idea to call attention to her mark. But, as Henrietta had told her as they were leaving the shop, "People will always notice the ways that you are different dear. It's best to just own it as part of who you are and never look back."

So here she was, owning that part of herself. Henrietta finished getting her hair into a neat bun. "Well, it's bound to fall out, dear, but that's the best I can do. You will look gorgeous no matter what."

Letti blushed. "Thanks."

They prepared to leave, Henrietta acquiring the tickets and putting them in her pockets (she had been extremely happy to find a blue dress with pockets, excitedly proclaiming her discovery to several disgruntled store employees). Letti waited by the front door before realizing she had forgotten something. "Wait! I need to get my wand. Can you keep it in your pockets?"

"No need, dear. You can't bring your wand to this event. Keeps from things becoming rowdy, when people inevitably get drunk."

"Oh." Letti wasn't sure how she felt about leaving her wand at home. It had begun to feel like a part of who she was.

"Don't worry! Nothing ever happens at these events that requires a wand, anyways, so you'll be just fine. C'mon, let's go! I'm so excited." Henrietta was practically shaking, she seemed so ready.

The party was taking place in the grand hall of the old Ministry offices - ever since the magical world had gone public, the Ministry operated out of Westminister like the rest of the government. A special network had been created so that attendees could get to the building without trouble - custom fireplaces had been established in the Parliament building for rapid Floo travel.

They waited in a short line to access the fireplaces. "Here's your ticket," Henrietta said, handing her the small slip of paper. "When you get to the fireplace, all you have to do is insert it into the slot in the back. You'll be taken immediately to the party! I'll go first and wait for you."

"I'll stay with you the entire time?" It was less of a question and more of a request.

"Of course."

They waited their turn as the two wizards in front of them accessed the party. Letti watched as one of them inserted his ticket and was promptly engulfed by green flames. She freaked out for a moment, wondering if something had gone wrong, but the stoic expressions of everyone around her - as well as the other bursts of green flame coming from the other fireplaces - told her that this was perfectly normal.

Someone the next line over, however, screamed as the flames instead burned blue, and they vanished in a quick burst of smoke. "Did they...die?"

"No, they were probably sent to the authorities. People try to sneak their way in all the time, but it never works. That's why it's so important to have your ticket! Oh look, I'm up!"

Henrietta stepped forward. A moment later, green flames surrounded her, and she vanished.

Letti took a deep breath and stepped toward the fireplace. There was a slot at the back of it, carved in the brickwork. She stretched her hand forward…

"Make sure you're in the fireplace when you insert your ticket." An attendant standing nearby had a hand out to stop her. "Otherwise you'll be stuck here and can't go through."

"Oh. Erm, thank you." Letti stepped awkwardly forward into the fireplace, her flat-toed shoes clacking against the stone. As soon as she inserted her ticket, green flames surrounded her…

...and she found herself in a giant, black-bricked hallway.

Henrietta stood in front of her, grinning. "See, dear? Nothing to it!" She held out a hand and helped Letti out of the fireplace.

The hall was wide enough to fit multiple vehicles side-by-side with no problem. As they stood and took stock of everything around them, people swarmed in from various fireplaces set against both walls, all of them dressed in formal wear. Attendants wandered with plates that automatically refilled with drinks and small snacks, bowing their heads politely any time someone took something. The hall led to a giant round atrium which had been decorated with various garlands and bouquets; at the center, the largest Christmas tree Letti had ever seen towered twenty stories tall, covered in shining ornaments she swore moved of their own volition. It was in the atrium that most of the guests loitered, chatting amongst themselves.

"So...what now?" Letti turned to Henrietta.

"Well, we can either go say hi to some of my bosses who probably don't even know my name yet," the young woman suggested, "or we can gorge ourselves on the endless supply of fancy foods they have towards the back there." She looked down at Letti and grinned. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'll race you!"

The two of them ran through the crowd towards the other side of the Christmas tree, where tables of various delicacies were being served. Letti was unused to having to run in a dress, hiking it up past her ankles in order to weave her way through people who did not seem to appreciate her youthful giggling. Henrietta was at a disadvantage, having chosen to wear high heels and thus unable to run nearly as quickly.

She was nearly around the Christmas tree when a wizened hand grabbed her by the forearm.

"Children are expected to be on their  _ best _ behavior!" Letti turned to face her assailant. It was a much older wizard with long white hair. His face was sunken, as if his skin had gotten too hot and was slowly melting. "Do not run, girl!" he said with a low hiss. "A child such as you shouldn't even be here!"

"Father, release her." Professor Malfoy stepped forward to her defense. He wore an elegant suit with a green brooch.

The old man grumbled unhappily but released Letti all the same, hobbling away with an ebony cane. She rubbed the spot where his bony fingers had gripped her.

"I apologize for my father's behavior," Professor Malfoy said, looking after the old man. "He's always been a bit cantankerous, and certainly hasn't gotten better with old age."

Headmistress Patil came over and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, well, you're one to talk." She turned to Letti. "Who are you supposed to be with, Miss Lunetti?"

As if in response, Henrietta appeared, panting for breath. "Hi! Sorry, my apologies. We were having a bit of fun. Pleasure seeing you both again."

"You, too, Miss Hazelwood." The headmistress bowed her head to her. "Well, we shan't bother you. Have fun, you two." She and Professor Malfoy wandered away into the crowd, hand in hand.

Letti looked after them, at a loss for words. "Are they...together?"

Henrietta laughed. "Of course! Haven't you noticed... ? Well, I suppose you haven't really seen them outside of school. Yes, they're a couple. Have been for ages, at least since the end of the Calamity. Now come on, there's food to eat!"

They went to the tables and began piling on heaps of food. As they did so, several men in fancy digs went up to Henrietta. She chatted with them amiably, but Letti noticed that any time any of them tried to get too friendly - a hand on a shoulder, or stepping right up to her - she would stuff her face with some food. This seemed to deter them, as every time they would quickly end their conversation and walk off. "What's all that about?" Letti asked her. "They seemed to be interested in you!"

"Yes, but I'm not here to score a date, I'm here to have fun with you!" Henrietta nudged her with an elbow. "Besides, men at these sorts of parties are only after one thing and one thing only, and I am not about that right now. I've had quite enough of boy nonsense for a good while."

Letti wasn't entirely sure what she meant by all that, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know, either.

They talked to many people over the next hour - it turned out that while Henrietta had initially been nervous about potentially being around higher-ups in the Ministry, there were actually a good number of people in attendance she already knew. Letti met many of Henrietta's former colleagues within the Department of Magical Affairs, many of whom were fascinated to meet Letti and jokingly frustrated that Henrietta had left the department.

"It's just not the same without you!" one young woman proclaimed. "Nobody else is able to keep us motivated or bring genuine cheer. The whole place has gone as dreary as a midsummer's evening since you left."

"Oh, I doubt that, dear," Henrietta said. "You always were a bright spirit in our office."

"Yes, but that could hardly be compared to-"

"Loony!"

"I know, but remember when you-"

"Loony Letti!"

Letti turned, suddenly aware of the voice that had been calling out to her. George Weasley, with eyepatch and all, stood nearby, his wife Angelina and daughter Roxy by his side. Sitting in a wheelchair, looking pale and thin as a skeleton, was Ron Weasley.

Letti let out a brief gasp as they came toward her. Ron Weasley. He had been married to Hermione Granger before the Calamity. Still technically was, since she had gone missing. Could he be her father?

George Weasley came up with the wheelchair and gave her a fist bump. "How ya been, Lunetti?"

"Erm, good! I finished my first semester at Hogwarts."

"Did you now?" He sprouted a wide grin. "I remember my first year at Hogwarts. Ol' Dumbledore kicked me and my brother out our first week, we were such trouble. We snuck back in, though, and the old codger let us stay since we were so clever."

His wife rolled her eyes. "Ignore him." She extended a hand to Henrietta. "I'm Angelina. And you must be Mrs. Lunetti?"

Henrietta let out a sound that was between a cough and a snort. "Oh, goodness me, no. I'm Henrietta Hazelwood. I'm Letti's guardian."

"Oh! I'm so sorry." Mrs. Weasley looked embarrassed. "Goodness, I didn't mean to assume-"

Letti focused on the man in the wheelchair. His eyes were glazed over - even though he was looking forward, she wasn't sure he was actually seeing anything in front of him. His face was an ashen gray. Letti examined him, trying to see if there were any similarities between her and Ron Weasley.

"Now, Ron, it's rude to stare." George knelt next to her. "Don't worry about him; he's been like this for a while. Nearly, oh, twelve years, I'd say. You okay, Lunetti?"

Letti shook her head, unsure of what to say. Finally, she stammered out: "I...I think he could be my dad."

George chuckled heartily in disbelief. "Now that's a good one: my brother, the Playboy...wait a second." He looked at Letti carefully for a moment, examining her as she had been examining Ron Weasley a moment ago. His uncovered eye widened in disbelief. "No way," he muttered. "I see it now. You look just like her."

Angelina halted her conversation with Henrietta. "George, honey, what's going on?"

He stood up and made a square with his fingers. "Look at Letti for just a moment and tell me you don't recognize the resemblance."

She stared through his fingers for only a moment before her eyes went wide. "Oh my goodness."

"Right?"

Henrietta cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Excuse me, but could either of you please explain exactly what's going on?"

"I look like my mom." Letti shuffled her feet nervously. "I look like Hermione."

There was a muffled snort from the wheelchair. Ron Weasley was staring at her, his eyes as wide as dishes. His mouth moved but made no discernable sound. Slowly, he pointed his index finger at her, then fell back against the wheelchair, huffing for air.

George was there in an instant, grabbing the handles. "Don't worry, ladies, I've got this. Hey, Hazelwood?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's keep in touch, yeah?"

Henrietta nodded. "Agreed."

"Great. See you around, Lunetti." He whirled Ron Weasley around and began trotting off through the crowd. Angelina gave Letti a strange glance, and then followed him, Roxy in hot pursuit.

Letti's shoulders slumped. "I messed up, didn't I?"

"Why ever would you say that, dear?"

She pouted impatiently. "Because I made them run off! I shouldn't have said anything." She could feel tears coming to her eyes.

"Oh, dear, you didn't do anything wrong." Henrietta put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "That was just a lot to handle all at once. Think of it from their perspective: they just found out they might have a niece, one whom they didn't even know existed. Ron Weasley may just have realized he had a daughter he never knew. That's a lot to take in all at once."

Letti sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her dress. "Do you think it's true? Could he be my father?"

"Well, given that he was married to Hermione, it certainly seems likely. There are a few ways we could find out for certain, but- ugh, oh dear." She stopped mid-sentence, looking down at the entrance to the atrium.

A commotion was starting by the fireplaces, with many people whooping and cheering. Letti couldn't tell who it was for at first, but then a rowdy chant began echoing about the chamber.

"HARRY! HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!"

A tall, black-haired man in a sleek tuxedo parted the crowd, his arms up in the air in a sign of cheer. His round glasses flashed brightly in the lights of the Christmas tree. It was hard to tell from a distance, but even without seeing the lightning-shaped scar Letti was fairly certain she knew who this was: the legendary Harry Potter.

He flashed a grin to the crowd, which promptly went wild. Someone tossed him a wireless microphone as he hopped up on top of a chair. "Hello, Holiday Partiers!" he cried. People were screaming greetings back at him. "It's always great to be amongst the Ministry folk, hanging out with my fellow Aurors and leaders. Bertrand, you know what's up, right? Alright, now let's have a good time-"

He continued on for a few minutes, but Letti tuned him out. After reading so much about him and his achievements, she had to admit that she was disappointed. She now understood why Professor Malfoy was so hesitant to reach out to him. Epic hero he once was, he certainly did not seem the part any more. Now he looked just like some trumped up celebrity with no real power.

Henrietta looked equally disappointed. "No Auror should behave like this," she said, shaking her head. "Aurors are supposed to be respectable."

The next twenty minutes or so of the party was spent just trying to avoid the throng that circled around Harry Potter wherever he went. It was more difficult than expected, given the sheer number of people who flocked about him, desperate for his attention, as well as the fact that he no longer traveled in a straight line, having apparently already become too drunk to do so. The two of them finally found a secluded spot at the edge of the atrium, standing next to Professor Malfoy and Headmistress Patil.

"Enjoying the party?" the professor asked sourly, sipping water from a glass. He looked miserable.

Letti shrugged. "I think I met my dad."

Water snorted out of his nose. "Wait, what?"

Henrietta passed him a napkin and explained the encounter with the Weasleys. Headmistress Patil was intrigued. "I'm surprised they would even bring him to a gathering like this. Last I saw him was...oh, when was that, dear? Five years ago? He looked ghastly. Couldn't talk at all."

Letti nodded unhappily. "He's still like that."

Professor Malfoy finished wiping his face. "Try not to fret too much, Letti. I know it can be tempting to jump to conclusions, but the reality is we don't know for certain that he is your father." He glanced at her a moment. "An interesting choice, having that symbol embroidered on your dress like that."

She looked down at it. "Do you think it was a bad idea?"

"On the contrary, I think it is an excellent decision. Own who you are, because nobody else will ever let you forget it."

"I told her the same thing!" Henrietta and Professor Malfoy began engaging in conversation about education, both thoroughly excited to discuss the topic. The headmistress attempted to engage but looked mostly bored, lazily scanning the crowd to keep an eye on Harry Potter's thronging crowd.

Letti, too, grew bored. She was starting to wish she could just go home, but she didn't want to tear Henrietta away from the party she had so been looking forward to. She glanced out at the hallway with the fireplaces, wondering if many others were already taking their leave of things.

To her surprise, she found that she couldn't see anything past the first row of fireplaces. Beyond that, the lights seemed to have been turned off, and everything plunged into an impenetrable darkness. A few witches and wizards who had been on their way out seemed equally perplexed, remaining within the atrium with concerned confusion. Letti turned to Henrietta to get her attention.

That was when the first scream sounded.

Despite the boisterous noise of the party, it stuck out, shrill, high, ringing around the atrium. Letti felt her blood run cold as she spun back around to the dark hallway, just in time to watch a woman get dragged into the thick darkness. A nearby wizard took a few stumbling steps backward, calling out to his lost companion. Then he, too, was snared by the shadows, which dragged him with a frightening howl.

Letti recognized the howl. She had heard it once before, in a courtyard.

A hellhound.

The entire party erupted into panicked screams as everyone attempted to get as far away as possible from the steadily approaching shadows. Only three wizards did not run away. The first was Professor Malfoy, who despite being wandless appeared stoic in the face of looming danger. The second was Headmistress Patil, who took her partner's hand and stepped forward confidently.

The third was Harry Potter. Having apparently ignored the 'no wands' rule, he strode forward with wand in hand, seemingly sobered up in an instant. "Don't worry!" he cried. "I've got this!"

A hellhound leaped out of the shadows and tried to claw him. He snapped his wand forward, and a blast of red energy smote the hound and caused it to vanish in a puff of ash.

The crowd's reaction turned from panic to cheering in an instant. People shouted, "HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!" as he whipped his wand forward and obliterated another hellhound.

Letti still wasn't overly fond of his earlier behavior, but even she had to admit that his swift dispatching of hellhounds was impressive. She was unfortunately positioned at the front of the crowd, however, and they kept pushing her forward just a little more, inch by inch. She could hear Henrietta desperately trying to get to her and pull her away.

Harry Potter smote another hellhound, and for a few moments there seemed to be a genuine peace. "See?" he said, turning back around to the crowd and holding his hands up confidently. "Nothing to it!"

Letti saw something stir within the shadows, and before she knew what she was doing she was rushing to Harry Potter's side, left hand gripping her right wrist as she held up the mark on her hand. " _ Protego _ !" she cried.

A bubble of light snapped into existence around them just as a massive stinger snapped down at them. It struck the bubble harmlessly, but something hissed within and the shadows swirled ever more violently.

Harry was impressed. "Huh. You just saved me, kid. Glad I wasn't the only one who ignored the no wand-" He suddenly caught a glimpse of the now-glowing mark on her hand. "Who are you?"

"Erm, Leticia Lunetti, sir." She wasn't exactly sure how to address him.

"Leticia Lunetti, Leticia Lunetti...why is your name so famil...ah, right. Malfoy mentioned you." Harry squared his shoulders and turned back toward the shadows. "Think you can get rid of this Shield Charm and help me fight this thing?"

"Erm, I don't really know how to control it, sir. It sort of just happens."

"Nonsense! You made the shield alright by just saying the spell. Just imagine it going away. You've got this."

His genuine confidence in her gave her hope. "Erm...okay. I'll try."

"Good kid. Alright, let's do this on three. One...two...THREE!"

She lowered her hands as soon as he finished his count, and the shield burst with a comedic popping sound. He stabbed his wand forward and shouted something, and a tendril of red light snaked forward into the darkness. Despite the brightness of the spell, the shadows refused to surrender.

The giant stinger appeared out of the shadows again, and Harry and Letti dove to opposite sides to avoid getting struck. "Get outta here, kid!" he shouted, blasting off another two spells in quick succession.

She scrambled to her feet with every intention of following that order. But it quickly became clear that, legendary hero or not, Harry Potter had no way of breaking through the shadows without help.

Letti looked down at her hand. For months she had been trying to gain control of her powers with Professor Malfoy, to understand how to use them so that she wouldn't hurt anyone. For months it had been a fruitless endeavor. But just then she summoned the Shield Charm without any problem, just by uttering the spell. Could she really do this?

She glared at the darkness as the stinger tried to strike Harry Potter again. There was only one way to find out.

Letti jabbed her right hand forward, shouting, " _ Lumos Maxima _ !"

The mark on her hand flared, and a ball of light burst into existence, launching into the shadows. It spun like a top before exploding outward, dissipating the shadows and revealing the monster within.

At first glance, it greatly resembled a giant scorpion, with six legs, two giant pincers, and a curved tail that ended with a large stinger. It was also clearly not  _ just _ a scorpion, as its back was lined with spikes and the pincers appeared to be several sizes too large. The creature recoiled at the flash of light, hissing whilst slamming one pincer into a fireplace and shattering it.

"Not bad, kid!" Harry was by her side now, though his eyes were fixated on the creature. "Alright, you and me work together now, yeah? What do you say?"

"Erm...okay."

"Great, okay, here's the plan. Think you can generate another Shield Charm?"

"Maybe? Erm, yes."

"Great. We're gonna have to get up close and personal with ol' scorpio here, and your Shield Charm knocks mine out of the park. Go ahead and make one now."

She held her fist out again. " _ Protego _ ." A bubble of light formed around them, and just in time, too: the giant scorpion's tail snapped against it a moment later.

"Great job, kid. Okay, now we just need to walk towards it."

Letti nodded, terrified. The scorpion was truly angry now, smashing everything it could against her shield as the shadows slowly began to reform around it. They inched closer, the bubble holding intact for the moment. "Erm, how much longer do we need to do this?"

"Not much." Harry's eyes were focused on the monster. "See that spot at the bottom of its flank? Kind of like a chin. It's vulnerable there - the armor doesn't quite cover that spot so well. Get me right up to it, and I can kill it."

They inched forward as the scorpion continued its furious assault. "You're doing great, kid," he reassured her. "Just keep it up a little while longer."

She was getting worried. The shield was not going to hold for much longer - already she could see cracks forming in the light. The scorpion could see this, too, and its stinger began focusing its attacks on one spot in particular.

They were right up to it now. Letti felt the shield quivering with its attacks, felt it starting to give way...then Harry lunged forward, sliding beneath the creature and shouting something incomprehensible. A burst of green light flashed from his wand. The scorpion keeled over, dead in an instant.

Harry stood up, wiping sweat from his brow. "Well done. We did it.  _ You _ did it."

The roaring sound of applause and cheering erupted from the crowd. Henrietta rushed forward and snared her in a tight hug. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Upon realizing that Letti was okay, she continued, "What on earth were you thinking?"

Before she had a chance to answer, she found herself being ushered through the crowd by Professor Malfoy - the crowd didn't seem to mind, focusing on Harry Potter. They passed through the atrium and went into a narrow, dimly-lit hallway, a part of the old Ministry building that looked as if it had long been abandoned. He nodded at a bewildered attendant, and they were allowed into a cleared-out office. Headmistress Patil joined them a moment later, followed by Henrietta. They sat awkwardly in the room, which was completely devoid of furniture.

"What are we waiting on?" Letti asked.

Professor Malfoy sighed. "Something I should have done a long time ago."

Several minutes later, Harry Potter entered the room. No longer did he bear the cheery, drunken expression he had entered the party with; instead, his face was grim, his eyes sad, his shoulders sunken. He glanced around the room and nodded at some of the adults. "Headmistress, always a pleasure. Miss Hazelwood, glad to hear you'll be joining my ranks." He stiffened. "Malfoy."

"Potter."

There was a noticeable tension in the air between the two men. They held their gaze for a moment before Harry finally turned away, focusing his attention to Letti. "Miss Lunetti, a pleasure to meet you at last. And…" He froze, turning back to the professor and headmistress. "She looks exactly like Hermione."

"We know." The headmistress stood up. "Harry, we need your help. The mark on her hand…"

"...it's the same as that symbol we saw all throughout the Calamity." Harry nodded. "I got your message."

"What do you make of it?"

He put a hand on his chin. "Honestly, I'm in the same boat you are. The only knowledge I have of it is from the Calamity, and then it never seemed to serve any real purpose. Magical marks are my expertise, I know," he said, rubbing the scar on his forehead, "but this particular mark is different than anything else I've ever encountered. Nobody has ever had a mark, naturally-generated or otherwise, that has simply allowed them to perform spells as controlled as she just did. It is truly unique."

"Do you have anything to offer?" Professor Malfoy seemed bitter that he was not providing more information.

Harry shrugged. "Not currently. There's certainly an avenue or two I can look into, but the likelihood of them producing anything of value is slim. Hermione would have been better at figuring this stuff out."

"Perhaps she did." Everyone turned. Henrietta's voice had been quiet. "Maybe the reason things have happened the way they did is because she  _ did _ uncover the meaning of this symbol. Maybe that's why she's gone missing, why she kept Letti secreted away."

"Now that's an idea. I see why they got you to join in with the Aurors." Harry paced about the room slowly. "Hermione was always the best of us. Perhaps she's left us some clues as to the meaning of things." He snapped his fingers and turned to the headmistress. "In your message you mentioned that Luna's name was carved into Letti's vault, yes? Good. Okay, so that's another clue." He spun around to face Henrietta. "You. You're capable. First thing tomorrow, I'll put in for you to join my team, along with a few others. We'll work on investigating this further as relevant to tonight's events. Malfoy," he said the name with distaste, "do you ever recall seeing a creature like that during the Calamity?"

The professor crossed his arms unhappily. "The scorpion? No, I don't. And I wasn't fond of how it seemed to manipulate the shadows around it, either."

"Good, you noticed that, as well. As much as I hate to admit it, your efforts in finding ways to kill these things faster were instrumental to us staying alive, so I may have need of you to come in and help us. I'll bring in that Scamander fellow, too; Luna might be gone, but hopefully she passed on some of her knowledge of Calamity creatures to him. He could be useful." He nodded, at this point seemingly just talking to himself. "Good. Okay then. We have a plan, and we'll stick to it." He turned to Letti. "You be sure to keep out of trouble, kid. Got that?"

Letti nodded. She heard the headmistress give an awkward cough. "I promise."

"Great. We'll keep in touch. Well, unless anyone has anything else to add, I'm going to get back to the party. The news headlines don't write themselves!" He left with a flourish, the morose attitude he had entered with vanishing in an instant.

Professor Malfoy looked after him. "Pompous git," he muttered. "Henrietta, are you and Letti going to stay much longer?"

The young woman stood up, brushing herself off. "I don't think so. We've had quite enough excitement for one night, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve, after all. What about you two?"

The headmistress sighed mournfully. "Sadly, we're expected to stick it out until the Minister gives his speech. After tonight's events, I'm sure it will be an interesting one." She rolled her eyes.

Henrietta helped Letti to her feet. "Well, have a wonderful evening. Try not to have too much fun."

Letti turned to the professor and headmistress. "Erm, have a nice night."

Headmistress Patil nodded at her, smiling. "See you when you return to Hogwarts, Miss Lunetti." They left the room, leaving the silence for the thronging rhythm of music and drunken conversation.


	18. Some New Friends

The holiday passed too quickly, and soon Letti found herself sitting on the Hogwarts Express again, quietly wondering what the new term would bring.

Christmas came and went in a blur. She and Henrietta had a small, quiet holiday, having just wanted to recover from the excitement of the night before. Though both of them had agreed not to get each other any gifts, ultimately they had both ignored this agreement and bought something small for the other. For Letti, Henrietta gave a set of books she had been interested in when they went to Diagon Alley; for Henrietta, Letti had bought her a sparkling bracelet she had seen the young woman eyeing in the shop. Both were happy with their small gifts, feeling that they had a perfect holiday.

The remaining week passed by equally quickly. For the most part, Letti kept herself confined to the flat, laying about reading books and creating elaborate mazes for Eggsy to follow. This was because, ever since the events of the holiday party, several reporters from various publications had been posted outside the front door, waiting to speak to her. Letti had no intention of speaking to anyone - she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts, which had grown increasingly distressed.

The events of the holiday party seemed to confirm a growing worry: that no matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried to stay out of the spotlight, the universe couldn't help but thrust her into situations that made her stand out. The duel with Trey McCormack, the Gargantula attack, hurting Max Diggins, and now her fighting alongside Harry Potter. She supposed she should be excited - after all, who else could claim to fight alongside the legendary Boy Who Lived? Yet a part of her just wanted to shrink back, to pretend she was a nobody.

The only positive thing to come out of this, in her mind, was that her friends had immediately begun texting her and checking in on her when news of the event broke the next morning. Cassie, in particular, had begun messaging her one every hour, making sure she was okay and unhurt.

Having her friends back helped. She no longer felt quite so alone, knowing that they still cared about her. It was clear things were still a little strained, as they knew there was a lot of information she was hiding from them, but her promise to come clean and tell them everything had alleviated much of that pressure.

Thus, when she was finally back on the Hogwarts Express, she felt a unique sense of calm and panic. She knew not what the future would bring or how to handle much of anything, but Letti understood that she needn't do everything on her own.

"So...Hermione, eh?" Cassie sat back in the seat. She was the only one who accompanied Letti to Hogwarts - the twins had elected to stay on campus for the holidays.

Letti shrugged, watching Eggsy shiver in the harness Henrietta had made for him. "Yeah, I guess."

"Aren't you even the least bit excited? You know who your mother is, and she's a magical heroine to boot! I would be ecstatic if I were you."

"I mean, yeah, a little," Letti admitted. "I guess I was just hoping that once I found out who they were that I would actually get to  _ meet _ them, y'know? Instead, she's...well, I don't even necessarily know if she's even really still alive."

"At least you can talk to your dad! Sort of…" Cassie's voice trailed off. Even she understood that, with Ron Weasley in the state he was, it wasn't what Letti wanted.

Letti cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. "So, how was your break? Anything exciting happen?"

Cassie shrugged. "Honestly, no. My brother was in trouble all break for getting into a fight at school, and I got punished for his stupidity and was in lockdown, too. Pretty lame break, honestly."

The cabin door suddenly opened, and a figure darted in, shut the door, and proceeded to climb up to the luggage rack and hide behind Letti's and Cassie's suitcases. It happened in such an instant that neither of the two girls had any time to react, other than to look at each other with absolute bewilderment.

A moment later, a group of Gryffindor boys, with Max Diggins at their head, came to the door. He opened the door, and looked around inside. "Have you seen Li...oh, it's you two." He turned around to his friends, the scars on his cheek curling with cruelty. "Nevermind, guys, let's search the other cabins. Lily would never associate with these two losers."

They left, a cry of "Got 'em, Big D!" echoing in the hallway. Letti rolled her eyes - she had long before become numb to his cronies' antics.

The two girls now turned their attention to the small figure who was crawling out from behind their luggage, brown hair flashing in the incandescent light: Lily Potter. She looked bedraggled, her hair askew and robes awry. She brushed herself off after landing back on solid ground, and seemed to recognize the people in front of her for the first time. "Oh. It's you two."

"Yeah, it's us." Cassie glared at her.

Lily sighed and made to leave when another cry of "Big D! Big D!" sounded. She flinched back, her hand millimeters away from the door handle. She seemed to be thinking through her options.

Then, with a heavy sigh, she turned to them. "Can I maybe hide out in here for awhile?"

"No!" Cassie cried at the same moment Letti said, "Sure!"

Lily blinked at them. Cassie gave Letti an angry look, but just groaned and sat back. "Fine. But only if you tell us  _ why _ you're trying to hide from Max."

Lily flopped on the seat next to Letti and let out a mournful sigh. "He won't stop trying to ask me out on a date."

"He WHAT!?" Cassie suddenly became very interested. "Hold on, that little squirt is asking you out?"

Lily nodded sadly. "Yeah."

"Do you like him?" Letti asked, now drawn into the drama.

The other girl shook her head. "No way. Like, I know he's a Gryffindor and all, but just…" She shrunk back as a few boys ran past, shouting "Big D! Big D!" She sighed. "Anyone who has a nickname like that is not worth dating. Plus, I'm only, like, eleven! No eleven year old should be trying to date yet!" She threw her hands up in the air and pouted.

Letti realized that she had never properly comprehended that the girl was a year younger - she had been so focused on their rivalry that it had never occurred to her that Lily was a little less mature. She suddenly felt bad for all the times she had been unhappy with her. It no longer seemed fair.

Lily curled up into a ball as the boys ran past their compartment again. She was quaking with fear. "Why not just tell him no?" Letti asked.

"I did! He thinks I'm just trying to, I dunno, make things more difficult for him for fun? He's weird."

"But if you said no, that means no." Letti frowned and crossed her arms, being careful not to touch Eggsy. "It's not okay for him to try and force you to date him." Cassie nodded her head in agreement.

A Gryffindor boy - Letti thought it might be Dean Thomas, but it was hard to tell with all the flying robes - darted past. Then he came back and, upon seeing Lily curled up in the seat next to Letti, pointed and shouted, "Yo, Big D! I found her!"

The girls collectively groaned as Max found his way back to their compartment and weaseled his way inside. "Where you been, babe?" he said to Lily. Letti saw Cassie's hands curl into fists. "C'mon, don't you want to hang with Big D?"

"I'm not going to date you,  _ Max _ ," Lily said. She said his proper name loudly.

"Naw, don't be like that," he scoffed. "We're cool, right? Why don't you want some of this Big D action?" His cronies chuckled at the innuendo.

Lily started panicking. "Because...because…" Suddenly, and with wild abandon, she grabbed Letti's hand in hers. "Because I'm dating Letti!"

There was a collective gasp from the boys in the doorway. Max recoiled as if she had struck him. Cassie's eyes went wide with shock. Letti punctuated the moment with the perfect phrase: "Wait, what?"

"Um, yeah!" Lily doubled down on her conviction and squeezed Letti's hand tight. "We're a couple, and so I can't date you. So...there!"

Max was still somewhat frozen in surprise. He turned to Letti. "Is this true? Or is she just making things up?"

Letti's brain was broken. It was all she could do to form a coherent thought. Then, her face beet-red: "Erm, yes, we are! We're a couple!" She turned to Lily and said, "Dear."

The other girl's face turned bright, bright red and she squeezed Letti's hand even tighter. That seemed to be enough to convince Max, who, still somewhat reeling, stumbled his way out of the carriage, muttering, "Bunch 'o' weirdos." He and his cronies left without any shouts or cheers; only dead silence was left in the halls.

Dead silence was all that was left in the compartment, too. Letti sat still, knowing her face was still a glaring shade of pink, not entirely sure of what had just happened. She looked down and became aware of the fact that she and Lily were still holding hands. Lily just realized it, too, immediately released her vice-like grip. "Um, sorry."

"Erm, no problem." Letti brushed away some hair that had fallen in front of her face.

Cassie looked at them both, mouth agape. "Is someone going to explain to me what just happened? Are you two…"

"What? No!" Lily had found her voice again. "I only said that so Max would get off my back. You know that, right?" She glanced at Letti, a look of worry stretched across her face.

"What? Oh, yeah, of course." Letti nodded along, hoping it wasn't  _ too _ agreeable. Her hand still felt a little numb. "It was just pretend, yup."

Lily shifted awkwardly. "Good. Um, okay then. Now that I think Max is off my back, I'm gonna go...back to where my stuff is. I need to make sure my friends really know what's going on before the whole school thinks we're together." She stood up and made for the door. After opening it, she glanced back at Letti. "Hey, um...thanks. " Then she darted out without a second word.

An awkward silence followed, broken swiftly by Cassie. "Did...okay, hold up. Did that just happen?"

"I…" Letti was at a loss for words. She looked down at her hands, well aware of the fact that her face was still blushing furiously.

"Wait." Cassie was staring at her directly. "Do you have feelings for Lily?"

"What? No!" Letti's face grew even more red. "Of course not! Erm, erm, oh no Eggsy's loose!" She hit the bottom of the harness, and Eggsy popped out of it - immediately, it scampered out into the hallway. "I've got to go catch it!"

This distraction, however, did not work particularly well. By the time the Hogwarts Express had docked at its destination, Letti had already received several humored text messages from Lorcan and Lysander inquiring as to her relationship status, wondering what their couple name would be (Letly? Litti?), and debating what to wear to the inevitable wedding.

Letti wanted to murder them.

Hagrid was waiting for the returning students at the platform. Upon seeing Letti, he hustled over and handed her a letter. "From Professor Malfoy," he said. "No' sure what it says, but he was insistent I give it to ya right away."

She tore it open immediately. Written in flowing handwriting, she read the words:

_ "Meet me in the Wild Zone to continue your training tomorrow evening. Leave your wand in the dormitory." _

Cassie sidled up and read the letter, too. "Weird. Why would he want you to leave your wand?"

Letti held up the mark on her right hand. "I think it has to do with this." She paused. "Do you want to come and watch?"

"Is that allowed?"

She shrugged. "I mean, worst-case scenario is that he tells you to leave. I'll ask Lorcan and Lysander, too."

The decision to include her friends in her training was not one she was making lightly. In addition to knowing how keeping them out of things had made them feel, Letti had come to this decision after reading extensively about her mother during her years at Hogwarts, and the many adventures she had had with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. There was one common factor in their successes: they worked together. During all their years at Hogwarts, even during the terrible times of the Second Wizarding War, they had achieved greatness by sticking together; it was during the Calamity, when they had each gone their own separate (well, mostly separate) ways that they had failed, resulting in the disappearance of Hermione and the mental breakdown of Ron. It had become clear to Letti that, if she was to face these future challenges and succeed, it would only be if she had her friends by her side.

The twins were, of course, ecstatic to be included, and even promised to lessen up on the wedding jokes as a reward. After a proper first day back full of classes, the four of them all headed down to the Wild Zone. Lysander spent most of the walk gushing about how Hagrid and Mister Irwin had let him ride a hippogriff, which, Letti had to admit, sounded pretty cool. Lorcan remained fairly quiet; he had missed getting to go back home and spend time with his father, Letti later found out.

In the Wild Zone, they were greeted by Hagrid and Professor Malfoy, both sitting at a small table set up with glasses of lemonade. A slab of raw steak the size of a dinner plate also lay conspicuously on the table - Letti half-wondered if it was Hagrid's dinner.

"Ah, good, right on time. And you've brought guests." 

It was hard to tell if Malfoy was amused or displeased, so Letti decided an explanation was in order. "I don't want to keep them out of the loop, sir," she said. "They're my friends, and they deserve to know what's going on."

"You mistake me, Miss Lunetti. I am not disappointed. I suppose I am just...surprised, shall we say." He turned to the other three. "Understand that what we do here tonight must be under the strictest of confidences. Under no circumstance should you divulge what we do here. It is not for concerns of safety or legality, but more...there are many who do not know of these things for good reason. They would not understand its purpose. Do I have your word?"

The three children nodded.

"Good. Let us begin. Letti did you leave your wand in the dormitory like I asked?"

"Yes, sir. But...shouldn't I have it nearby just in case, anyways?"

Malfoy shook his head. "I do not believe it is necessary, no." He stood up from his chair and picked up the rubber balls from the ground. "After the battle that took place on Christmas Eve, I realized that you  _ are _ capable of controlling your powers, and I had effectively wasted the last term. I was trying to get you to run when, in reality, I should have been focused on getting you to walk."

"Oh." Letti shuffled her feet nervously. "What does that mean?"

"It means that you can absolutely control your powers when you know the words." He dropped the rubber balls back down to the ground. "At the Holiday Party, you intentionally used the Shield Charm not just once but  _ twice _ , both times without a wand and both times after reciting the proper spell word. You even used  _ Lumos Maxima,  _ a spell which, quite frankly, only third-year or fourth-year students should be attempting."

He started to pace around the table. Letti was noticing that, when he got excited about something, he did an awful lot of pacing. "See, I believe that the mark on your hand acts as a channel for your magical energy," he explained. "It effectively renders your need for a wand null and void. If we can get you to properly control it, I think you will be able to cast any spell you wish without your wand. Period. Yes, Miss Slink?"

Cassie had raised her hand. "Isn't wandless magic sort of, like, impossible?"

"Not at all. A number of powerful witches and wizards are capable of performing wandless magic, and in fact there are several magical cultures around the world which have never needed the use of a wand to cast spells." He took out his wand. "The wand is like a focal point, let's say. Any witch or wizard can technically cast magic without one, but it is chaotic, uncontrolled, dangerous. It takes years of training for any experienced magician to cast controlled spells without a focus."

"Can you cast spells without a wand, Professor?" Lysander asked.

Malfoy shook his head. "I cannot. I have trained for some years, but that is something that lies beyond my abilities. Only a handful of currently-living magicians can do this, such as the headmistress. Both Hermione Weasley and Luna Lovegood could cast wandless magic." At this he nodded towards the twins and Letti in turn.

"Albus Dumbledore could do wandless magic, too, if ye recall." Hagrid's booming voice caused everyone but Malfoy to jump a little. "He was the greatest of us all."

Malfoy's lips curled down. "Hm, yes, I do recall his ability to perform wandless spells. In any case, let us remove our minds from the past and focus our efforts on the present. Letti, if you would be so kind as to take a few steps over to your left. Very good."

He rolled his shoulders. "Now, I believe that your mark serves as a unique sort of focus, allowing you to channel your magical energy through it and cast spells both with and without an incantation. For now, we shall focus on simply getting you to control your spells through incantations, though in the future I believe you will be able to perform controlled spells without the words."

"What are we going to do right now?" Letti asked.

"Right now, we are going to do something very similar to what I had you doing last term: generating a Shield Charm. However, instead of trying to get you to do it nonverbally, you are going to use the incantation  _ Protego _ . Understand?"

She nodded. "I'm ready."

"Glad to hear.  _ Obscuro _ ." 

He waved his wand, and Letti watched as her vision became pitch-black. They had done this enough times, however, that she no longer felt as disoriented as she had the first time. It wasn't comfortable, per se, but she didn't hate it.

"I'm going to gently toss these rubber balls at you, one at a time. I want you to try and get a feel of things and generate a Shield Charm to protect yourself." She nodded. "Let's begin."

She could hear the rustling of grass around her - she wasn't sure where exactly the professor had gone, but she knew he was near. She tried to hone her senses, to determine where exactly he was and what he was doing without having to see it. Inwardly, she jested about how it was like being a Jedi. She felt a rustle nearby, and with a loud voice cried, " _ Protego _ !"

A rubber ball bounced off her right shoulder.

"Not bad!" She heard Hagrid clap his hands together cheerfully.

"Agreed. You generated a perfect shield, but next time you'll need to do it faster if you want to protect yourself." She could imagine the wry smile Professor Malfoy had across his face right now. "Get rid of the shield, and we'll try it again."

Letti took a deep breath, rolling her shoulders. There was a brief muttering from her friends as she focused on letting the shield disappear. "Good. Let's go," she heard the professor say.

She began taking long deep breaths, focusing on the sound of the grass nearby. She thought she could hear the professor's heavy footsteps behind her, as the ground rustled around his feet. There was a slight pause. Her breath stopped. Then…

" _ Protego _ !" She felt the spell activate, but a rubber ball bounced gently against her back all the same.

"Ooh, you were so close!" she heard Lysander shout.

"Again, a perfect shield, but not quite quick enough." Professor Malfoy was now standing several yards away to her left. "Let's try again."

She took a deep breath to drop the shield and drummed her fingers against her thighs. She felt stronger than she had all last term - now it was no longer a matter of  _ if _ she could generate a shield on her own, it was just a matter of whether she could do it  _ fast enough _ . It was as if a part of her could feel the magic coursing through her veins. She let it spread to her fingertips, warming her body. The sound of grass crunching beneath leather boots echoed in her ear. She could do this. She could do this. She could  _ do _ this.

" _ Protego _ !"

She heard a rubbery  _ thump _ , followed by Lysander crying out in surprise. A moment later the veil over her eyes was lifted, and she was treated to the sight of the rubber ball rolling away from her friend's leg, having connected with him after ricocheting off the shield. Lorcan and Cassie were whooping in jubilation. Professor Malfoy was absolutely beaming.

"Quiet down now," he told the others. Turning back to Letti, he said, "Now the hard work begins."

"Wait, you mean that was the  _ easy _ work?" Letti groaned and flopped down onto the grass, letting the shield fade away. "I thought that  _ was _ the hard work!"

"Decidedly not." Malfoy scooped up the rubber balls and set them on the table next to the hulking piece of steak. "This was just to confirm that you could indeed control the power of the mark by using proper incantations. What comes next is markedly more difficult, and infinitely more dangerous."

At the phrase 'infinitely more dangerous' all of the students perked up. Hagrid shivered. "Are ye sure it's a good idea with these other kiddos around, Professor?"

"I am, though this is where I would like to remind each of you of the necessity of secrecy. From this point on, anything you see or hear must not be repeated under strictest confidence. Do I have your word?"

He waited until each of them had nodded and spoken their assurance. "Good. Let's have a group quiz: who can tell me what a hellhound is?"

Lysander's hand shot up. "It's a Calamity creature, sir," he said. "Called as such because they resemble large hounds, though they are a lot less friendly than real dogs. They typically hunt in packs, and are surprisingly resilient to most combat spells."

"Very good, though I would like to point out one key error in your statement: hellhounds have been known to be friendly."

Everyone but Hagrid looked at the professor with bewilderment. "Wait, there are  _ friendly _ hellhounds?" Cassie asked, incredulous.

Malfoy nodded. "Yes. Letti's mother was quite fond of taming hellhounds in the midst of the Calamity, and before she turned there were several packs under her control that fought for us. However, she is not the only one to have tamed a hellhound. When a hellhound is summoned directly by a witch or wizard, the beast can be tamed by that summoner, as well."

Letti thought back to when Trey McCormack summoned a hellhound in their duel. It hadn't seemed especially tame then. "Why are you telling us this?"

The professor cleared his throat. "Because, Letti, we have seen that your mark can produce spells at random. These spells can be incredibly powerful, but so long as you have witnessed it once, your mark seems capable of replicating it. Why, you even produced two spells at once when under distress, a feat which no wizard could do normally with their wand."

"And I saw someone summon a hellhound. You think I might do that by accident."

He nodded. "Precisely. Tonight, we shall have you summon a hellhound and tame it."

"But will it even matter if I tame it? Does that mean that I'll just have a pet hellhound following me around all the time?"

"No no." Malfoy seemed almost amused by the question. "Just as a hellhound can be summoned through magic, it can also be de-summoned, sent back to the place from whence it came. It's unclear exactly how it works, but whenever you use the spell, you are summoning the same hellhound. Yes, Lorcan?"

"Sir...how do you know this?"

Malfoy's eyes twinkled. "Allow me to show you." He pointed his wand out towards an empty space of field and said something unintelligible.

A red rune appeared in the air in front of him, burning as if made of fire. A hellhound stepped through, standing nearly a dozen feet tall. The four eyes flashed red in the fading light, and the scythe-like appendages struck the ground ferociously as the creature burst into the area and howled. Letti felt her blood run cold.

Professor Malfoy, however, was unfazed. He whistled harshly, and the giant hellhound whirled around snarling. The giant steak that had been on the table levitated toward the beast, which gobbled it in a single bite. It leaped at the professor, tongue askew…

...and stopped, licking the white-haired wizard on the face.

Letti let out a sigh of relief. "It's...friendly."

Malfoy nodded, stroking the beast along its massive head. "This is Scorpio. I first summoned him thirteen years ago in Paris."

The giant hound's tail  _ thwapped _ against the ground happily as the professor scratched behind its ear. Now that it had relaxed, Letti saw the resemblance to a normal dog. Lysander inched towards it nervously. "How is it so big?" he asked.

"Hellhounds're big creatures," Hagrid said, a wide grin on his face. "As they get older, they get bigger. Most 'o' the ones ya see are just pups." He hobbled over confidently to Scorpio and put a hand on its wet snout; the hellhound gifted him with a juicy kiss.

"Yes, most hellhounds are slain relatively young and thus don't grow to quite these proportions," Professor Malfoy added. "Scorpio here might be the oldest hellhound in existence."

Letti nervously put a hand against Scorpio's flank. The texture was like solid rock. "What happens if your hellhound dies? Would you summon a new one with the same spell?"

The professor actually seemed stumped by this question. "You know, I don't actually have an answer for that. In all the years, nobody who has summoned a hellhound has ever had theirs pass away. I honestly don't know."

"Who else can summon a hellhound?" Cassie asked. She had joined the others in petting Scorpio, who was now lying on his side happily panting as everyone gave him attention.

"There were six of us capable of such a feat," Malfoy explained. "Myself, the headmistress and her sister, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and your mother." He glanced at Letti. "Until last semester, I believed we were the only ones who knew the spell - each of us had agreed that it was too dangerous to write down, and thus we would be the only ones with such knowledge."

"That's why you were so worried when McCormack summoned one." Things were beginning to make sense to Letti now.

He nodded. "Indeed. That a student like him was able to not only learn the spell but actually perform it is deeply troubling. Sadly, he couldn't recall where he learned the spell from, so our investigation into the matter went nowhere. It is highly likely that there are others with such a capability. Whether they will use this magic for good or ill is a separate, but equally dangerous, question." 

He cracked his knuckles. "Now comes the time for another to learn the spell. Letti, this magic is incredibly dangerous and should  _ never _ be used during your time at Hogwarts. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. As you saw with Mister McCormack, there are severe consequences for intentionally using magic against your fellow student. However, as we have learned,  _ intentional _ use is not the issue when it comes to you and your mark; unintentional magic is far more probable. Come." He waved her over to a bare patch of field. "I am going to teach you the spell to summon a hellhound," he whispered. "This is something you cannot repeat to anyone, not even your friends here."

She nodded, understanding.

"Good. The spell to summon a hellhound is  _ caninfernum _ . Repeat it back to me, quietly."

" _ Caninfernum _ ."

"Precisely. Now, I want you to hold out your hand and say it with meaning."

"Okay." Letti shivered. She was nervous, but also excited. Holding out her hand, the mark glowing faintly, she uttered, " _ Caninfernum _ ."

The effect was immediate: a red rune burned in the air in front of her. A moment later, a hellhound erupted out of it, snarling. The beast was smaller than Scorpio by a good margin - sized like a dalmation, as opposed to a rhino.

"Don't panic!" Malfoy reassured them. "Letti, step towards the hellhound with your palm facing up. Do so slowly. Let it see that you are not a threat."

She took a step towards it - the hellhound spun around and faced her, grimacing. Following the professor's directions, she kept her palm facing up, taking another cautious step. "It's okay, puppy," she said soothingly. Inwardly, she was terrified.

The hound took a step back, its scythe-like appendages raised in the air threateningly.

She took another step forward. "It's okay."

The sound of a rumbling growl sounded behind her. "Scorpio, stay," she heard the professor say. The growling stopped.

Her hellhound was still crouched unhappily, but as she stepped toward it she noticed that the scythe-like appendages were lowering. The snarling slowed to a gentle growl.

"See? Everything is okay," she said. She was only a few feet away from it now.

The hellhound's growling stopped entirely. Its snout inflated as it sniffed the air, curious. The creature no longer seemed to feel threatened by her. Slowly, it took a step forward.

Her hand connected with its snout.

It leapt back, snarling. She stopped moving entirely. She could feel the tension from the others behind her. "It's okay," she soothed. "I'm your friend."

The ears perked up and the hellhound stepped forward again. This time, it intentionally rubbed its snout against her hand. She let it brush up against her. It walked around her, sniffing her feet, her arms, her hair. She rubbed her hand along its flank, feeling the rocky texture.

Finally, it stopped right in front of her. All four of its eyes stared into her. She stared right back, unsure of what this meant. Was it trying to judge her? Trying to see if she was worthy of summoning it? She wondered what would happen if it decided to attack - she had no real way to defend herself. If it became aggressive, she would most certainly die.

A few long moments passed. Its gaze never dropped. Then, in a quick motion, it pounced, knocking her to the ground. She heard the scared cries of her friends behind her, wondered if this was going to be the end…

...it licked her face.

She stuck a hand out. "Blech! Stop!"

The hellhound immediately stepped back, though it kept its two front paws on her chest. It felt like a ton of bricks, holding her down.

"You have to give it orders, Letti," Malfoy called to her. "Hellhounds are surprisingly obedient creatures, but only respond to direct orders."

"Oh. Erm...get off me. Please," she added.

The hellhound happily obliged, its tongue hanging out goofily. Drool dripped all over her robes.

"Aw, he likes you!" Cassie said.

Letti sat up, stroking the hellhound's snout. It seemed friendly enough.

Professor Malfoy came up and held out a hand - her hellhound sniffed it, then turned back to her, panting cheerfully as he pet its side. Scorpio came up and sniffed the smaller hellhound, feigning disinterest.

"You'll need to name her," the professor said.

"Her?"

"See how the stingers look a little more rounded? That designates a female as opposed to the male. Your hellhound is a female."

Letti looked at the hellhound and smiled, scratching it behind the ear. "Yeah? Are you a girl hellhound?" As if in response, its tail started wagging excitedly, striking the ground with some force. "I'll have to come up with a good name for you, won't I?"

"How about Lilith?" Cassie walked up and rubbed the hellhound under the chin. "That seems like an appropriate name for something with 'hell' in its name."

"How about it?" Letti looked the hellhound in the eyes. "Is your name Lilith?"

The hellhound gave her a cheery lick in the face.

"Well then it's decided!" Malfoy said. "I dub thee Lilith. Now, to teach you how to de-summon a hellhound." He took out his wand. "This is a spell each of you would do well to learn.  _ Disinfernum _ ." A small burst of energy issued forth from his wand and struck Scorpio. He vanished in a puff of ash, leaving its owner with one final wet kiss across the face.

Professor Malfoy dried his face with the sleeve of his robes. "That spell will de-summon any hellhound, not just yours. It's the most effective way of getting rid of them, seeing as most spells won't hurt a hellhound at all. Care to try?"

Letti looked at Lilith unhappily. "But I just got her…"

The professor sighed. "I promise you, Letti, you can bring her out here any time during our training. In fact, a good bit of our training will be getting you to summon her on the regular and get her used to coming out for non-combat purposes. But it is late, and you and your friends have classes in the morning."

Letti sighed. "Fine. You said it was  _ disinfernum _ ?"

"Correct."

She grabbed Lilith's face in her hands and pressed their heads together. "Until tomorrow, Lilith.  _ Disinfernum _ ." Her hellhound disappeared in a gust of ashen wind. Letti knew that she would be seeing Lilith again soon, yet she still felt bad for sending her away.

"Well done." Professor Malfoy nodded at her. "You've done well today, Letti. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, remember." The professor addressed all of the collected students. "This stays between us. With luck, Letti will never have a need for bringing Lilith here other than during our training sessions. It is a knowledge best kept secret. Understood?" They all nodded. "Good. Now, all of you, off to bed. I expect to see each of you in the Great Hall bright and early, ready for classes."


	19. Entwined Hearts

As the new term started, Letti felt more confident than ever. 

Though many of her classmates still held some resentment over the accident with Max before the break, that did not bother her as much as she thought it would. Indeed, now that her friends seemed to have rejoined her side and supported her, the opinions of everyone else no longer mattered. Everything else was going swimmingly.

In her classes, she was excelling. Perhaps it was to spite the opinions of her classmates, many of whom still viewed her as a sort of freak. Perhaps it was the nightly study sessions with her friends in the library. Or perhaps it was the renewed confidence in her abilities after successfully summoning a hellhound and gaining some control over her powers.

Whatever it was, her teachers were taking notice. Professor Flitwick almost daily seemed to be bouncing up and down asking her to showcase the new spells they were learning, and Professor Malfoy had put in for her to be bumped up to the second-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Even in Transfiguration, by far her worst class, she was improving - she was nowhere near Lily Potter's level of perfection in the subject, but she was still keeping pace with the others.

As the weeks wore on, another area of growth was in her training with Professor Malfoy. They had permanently moved her training to the Wild Zone in order to accommodate some of the newer practices and, as the professor put it, "To make sure we all get some fresh air once in a while." In addition to having her summon the hellhound Lilith each night, he was having her practice a variety of spells she was learning in her classes, all without the use of her wand. Though some spells - like  _ Wingardium Leviosa  _ \- proved to be challenging to control with complete accuracy, she met the challenges confidently and was always gleefully excited whenever she succeeded. Most nights she had some sort of audience - sometimes it was Cassie, other times the twins.

Lilith the hellhound proved to be a bit of a handful - while she adored Letti and did not intend to cause any harm, she did not seem entirely aware of her own size, oftentimes knocking the girl to the ground with a whip of her tail. Training Lilith was the one task proving to be the most difficult for Letti - having never had a pet before, she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing.

In this, Hagrid and Mister Irwin were essential. Hagrid absolutely adored Lilith; any night he was there, he made sure to have a steak at the ready, and taught Letti how to guide the hellhound without being too harsh. Mister Irwin was happy to help coach Letti about hellhound behaviors, but was noticeably nervous any time Lilith was around him - Lysander was of the opinion that he had seen a good many feral hellhounds during the Calamity, and was unused to the tame nature of Lilith.

Professor Malfoy's hellhound, Scorpio, also proved to be a boon to Letti's training. As Scorpio was decidedly giant and more battle-worn, Malfoy had her run exercises against him - setting up rapid-fire Shield spells or practicing harmless Charms. Scorpio was always gentle with her and Lilith, seemingly having decided to treat them like they were his pups.

By the time February rolled around, Letti was feeling better about herself. There was still much to learn, but for once since she had learned of her origins, she felt like she had control of her situation.

Unfortunately, Cassie was feeling exactly the opposite.

"How am I supposed to ask him?" she moaned early one morning. "I mean, there's no way he'll say yes, right?"

Letti threw the covers over her face and rolled her eyes. As always, Cassie was pining after Albus Potter.

"Hey, don't hide from me! I'm serious! I need your advice."

Letti groaned. "What's the big deal now? You've been wanting to ask him out since we met."

"Yeah, but the Valentine's Dance is in two weeks! This is my one real chance to actually ask him out properly, without it being random!"

"Oh, right." Letti had forgotten about the dance. With everything else going one, it had fallen out of her attention. "Well, are you sure it's even a good idea to ask him? He's a full two years older than us."

Cassie let out a weary gasp and buried her head into her bedsheets. "I knowwwwwww. But, you can't help it who you like! And I can't stop thinking that there might be a chance with him, y'know?"

Letti shrugged. Personally, she thought that Cassie stood absolutely zero chance of going with Albus to the dance, but she didn't want to completely crush her friend's spirit.

"Are you going to ask anyone?"

"Honestly…I hadn't really thought about it. I might just not go. Social functions aren't really my thing, and so far this year it seems like something weird always happens to me on a holiday."

"That's not true!" Cassie thought about it for a moment. "I mean, there was Halloween, sure. Oh, and I guess you went to that party on Christmas Eve…" Her voice trailed off. "Okay, I see your point. Maybe you could ask Lily to go with you!"

Letti's face turned red. The rumor that she and Lily were dating were still flying around Hogwarts at lightning speed. While Letti initially felt that the rumor had been quashed once classes started, she had suddenly found herself becoming Lily's constant protection from Max's unwanted advances. As the Valentine's Dance had approached, it had almost become a guarantee that she was unable to walk through the halls between classes without Lily grabbing her arm to hide from the other Gryffindor. It was embarrassing, but Letti couldn't find a way to tell the other girl to stop without feeling bad.

Cassie smirked at Letti's blushed face. "Anyhow, I just don't know. How do you ask someone out?"

During breakfast in the Great Hall, Lorcan felt he had the perfect answer. "Just go up to them and ask them out!" He looked back at the Hufflepuff table. "Yo, Kathy!"

A blond-haired girl turned around irritably. "What?"

"You wanna go to the Valentine's Dance with me?" His voice carried. Half the hall could hear him.

She thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, sure. I guess."

Lorcan looked back at the two girls, grinning. "See? Piece of cake."

Cassie scoffed. "Yeah, for  _ you _ ."

"You've got to woo him," Lysander suggested. "Make him see that you're worth dating. It's like with birds - the most attractive mate is the one who puts forth the effort and puts on a show."

"We're not birds!" Letti and Cassie both cried together.

Lysander held his hands up defensively. "Hey, look, that's just my two Knuts."

Though they both hated the analogy, at the end of the day, Letti had to agree that Lysander's suggestion made some sense. "Maybe you've got to try and go out of your way to make Albus like you."

"But how?"

"I dunno. Erm...chocolate and flowers?"

Cassie laughed. "Letti, that's how you get  _ girls _ to like you! What do boys like?...cars and video games?" She sighed, exasperated. "I guess chocolate could work."

So they hatched a plan. The next evening, before dinner, Cassie waited just outside the Great Hall. A box of chocolates they had 'borrowed' from Lysander was kept hidden behind her back. As students went in, Letti kept watch by the entrance to the dungeons, Eggsy kept on a tight leash by her feet.

The plan was this: Letti would keep an eye out for Albus. As soon as she saw him, she would start walking Eggsy towards the Great Hall - that would give Cassie the cue to start walking towards the dormitory entrance. She would 'accidentally' bump into Albus, dropping the box of chocolates...and thus after Albus dashingly picked it up for her, she could offer him a chocolate and would have her opportunity to ask him out. At the time, it seemed foolproof.

Twenty minutes passed, however, and Letti's stomach started to rumble. "Where is he?" she mouthed to Cassie.

The other girl shrugged. The number of students streaming into the Great Hall was diminishing - most everyone had arrived for dinner. "I'll go and check!" she mouthed back. "Call for me if you see him!"

She darted into the Great Hall, leaving Letti alone.

Letti looked back into the dungeon entrance. Nobody was even walking through there right now. She wondered whether or not they had just missed Albus going in earlier, or if Albus was going to be eating in the Great Hall at all. He was often doing things on his own…

"What're you up to?"

Letti nearly jumped a mile. She spun and was greeted by the curious face of Lily Potter.

"Oh...erm, nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing to me."

Letti sighed. "Hiding from Max again?"

The younger girl nodded. "He keeps wanting to ask me to the dance."

"And there's no better way to be rid of him than latching on to me?"

Lily bit her lip. "Sorry. I guess I didn't really think much about whether it was impacting you or not."

"No, it's okay, it's just...weird." Letti shrugged. "Some people actually seem to think we're together, which is completely fine, but just...it feels weird because it isn't true. I don't like lying to people."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I don't like it, either."

Albus walked past her. "'Scuse me."

"Oh, sorry, Albus. I just...maybe we can stop-" Letti stopped mid-sentence. "Albus!"

He turned, halfway between her and the Great Hall. Behind him, she couldn't see Cassie - she hadn't come out yet. "What's up?"

"Erm...nothing. I guess. Erm...how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. About to go eat. You okay?"

"Uhhhhh…" She saw Cassie finally come out of the Great Hall. "Yep Everything's cool."

He looked at her oddly. "K then. See you around, Lunetti. Stay outta trouble, sis."

Cassie practically charged into him, knocking both of them over and scattering small chocolates everywhere.

"What the-!" Albus did not seem pleased. "What is wrong with you?"

"I...I…" Cassie stammered, frozen.

Letti started to rush forward to help, Eggsy in tow and Lily following close behind. She waved her hands and mouthed, "Do it!"

Cassie cleared her throat. "I'm really sorry, Albus. I guess I was just nervous because-" She stopped mid-sentence.

Her eyes went as white as milk.

"Cassie?" Letti rushed forward, genuinely concerned. What was happening to her friend.

" _ The fourteenth… _ " her friend gasped.

Letti looked at Albus and Lily, both of whom seemed as confused as she was. "Cassie, what are you talking about? What's going on?"

Cassie sputtered for a moment. Then she began to speak again, only her voice was not just her voice, but seemingly the voice of a dozen other women. " _ At the end of the fourteenth, a new Dark Lord rises from the ashes of their mother… the cursed brand will end it all...at the end of the fourteenth, the fire will give way to shadow…" _

"The...what now? Fire? Dark Lord?"

Cassie's eyes returned to their normal coloration. She shook her head and put a hand to her forehead. "Ooh," she groaned, "bad headache."

"Cassie, what  _ was _ that?" Letti put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Your eyes got all weird and you said something strange. Something about a Dark Lord?"

"It was a prophecy." Everyone turned. Headmistress Patil stood only a few feet away, concern etched across her features. Behind her, Letti could see Professor Malfoy walking up. "All of you, come with me," she said. "We need to talk."


	20. The Prophecy

Four students shifted awkwardly in their seats, alone in the headmistress' office. They each knew that they weren't in trouble, yet each of them felt guilty. But guilty of what?

Letti wasn't entirely sure what was going on. All she knew was that one moment she was trying to help her friend get a date, and the next the headmistress was telling them about a prophecy and had whisked them away to her office before leaving them sitting there for twenty minutes.

She had heard of prophecies, of course. Cassie had told her all about Seers and their gift of giving prophecy. Some prophecies were minor and inconsequential, like the equivalent of forecasting some small showers, but others were significant and dangerous. She had read about how the Second Wizarding War was almost entirely about a prophecy between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. Prophecies could be incredibly dangerous if interpreted by the wrong people.

She barely remembered what Cassie had said. She recalled something about a "new Dark Lord," which definitely didn't sound good. And hadn't there been something about the number fourteen?

The door opened at last. Headmistress Patil entered, carrying a glass orb. Her face was grim.

The headmistress walked to her desk and sat behind it, setting the orb down gently on the polished wooden surface. She averted the students' eyes, taking a moment to adjust the sleeves of her robes. Letti got the sense that she was immensely uncomfortable.

Beside her, she felt Albus stir. "Are we in trouble?"

The headmistress looked up. "No," she said, her voice heavy. "No, none of you are in trouble."

"What's going on?" Lily asked. "I...I never got a chance to have dinner…"

"Me neither," Cassie added.

The others nodded. Headmistress Patil sighed. "I'm sorry. I did not want to take you away from your meal - after we are done here, I'll make sure there is food set aside for you. But after what happened, it was critically important that we address the situation right now." She looked at Cassie directly. "Do you understand what happened?"

The girl shrugged. "I...guess I gave a prophecy? I don't really remember it at all."

"No, you are exactly correct. To be precise, you gave this prophecy." The headmistress waved her hand, and the cloudy surface of the orb cleared to reveal the face of an old woman wearing massive spectacles.

" _At the end of the fourteenth, a new Dark Lord rises from the ashes of their mother…_ " the old woman croaked. " _The cursed brand will end it all...At the end of the fourteenth, the fire will give way to shadow…_ " The woman's voice stopped, and she faded away as the surface of the orb became clouded once more.

"Wait." Cassie seemed confused. "That's a prophecy orb...but that wasn't me. How could I give the same prophecy as another Seer? I thought that was impossible."

The headmistress nodded solemnly. "You are correct, Miss Slink. Never before in the history of magic have two Seers given the same prophecy. It is simply unheard of." She stood up from her desk. "I was the witness to this prophecy when it was first given, thirteen years ago. The Seer who gave it was actually a former teacher here at Hogwarts, named Sybill Trelawney."

"What happened to her?" Cassie asked.

"She died, a few years ago. Cancer." The headmistress sighed. "When she gave this prophecy, it was in the midst of the Calamity. At the time, I believed her prophecy was directly related to the Calamity itself; when the war ended and peace became more prominent than chaos, I believed that the prophecy had been fulfilled and that the time for worry was over. I'll admit that I did not concern myself with its content, and indeed had mostly forgotten about it. That is, until tonight."

"What does it mean?" Letti asked. She rubbed the mark on her hand, almost afraid of the answer.

The headmistress looked at her coolly. "If you mean, what exactly is the prophecy talking about, that I cannot say specifically. Not because I don't want to, but because prophecies are rarely as straightforward as they might seem. That being said, I think there are some details we can determine."

She waved her wand, and a large whiteboard wheeled its way from behind her desk to sit in front of them.

"'At the end of the fourteenth, a new Dark Lord rises from the ashes of their mother,'" the headmistress repeated, writing the words across the top of the whiteboard. "This is what I mean by not being straightforward. What is the end of the fourteenth? Could that mean the fourteenth day? But of what month, of what year? There are many questions. Who is this new Dark Lord, and when she says 'ashes of their mother' does she mean that the new Dark Lord must kill their mother?"

The headmistress glanced at the collected students, each of whom looked equally confused by what was happening. She sighed. "Let's move on."

She began writing some more on the whiteboard. "'The cursed brand will end it all,'" she intoned. "Here, at least, I think we have some clarity. Who here do we know with a unique brand?"

The students blinked at her, confused.

Frustrated, she took a deep breath. "A brand, dears. It is another word for a mark."

Letti's eyes lit up. "Oh! Me." Then understanding hit her like a ton of bricks. "Wait, so I'm the cursed brand? I'm going to...end the world?"

"Not necessarily." For whatever reason, the headmistress seemed upbeat. "The prophecy just says that you will 'end it all.' Who is to say that it doesn't mean an end to evil? An end to the new Dark Lord? You have shown on several occasions that you are willing to go out of your way to protect others, Letti, so do not sell yourself short."

"Oh." She looked at the mark on her hand. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all?

"What about that last part, though?" Lily said, raising her hand sheepishly. "Where she said fire will turn to darkness or something."

"'At the end of the fourteenth, the fire will give way to shadow.'" Headmistress Patil seemed almost delighted that they were participating in the discussion now. "Yes, that part always confused me, as well. There are many legendary objects which deal with fire: the Staff of Ra, the Goblet of Fire, the Ember Stone...and no singular witch or wizard has ever been particularly good or specialized in fire magic." She paused. "Well, there was always Seamus, but that's not really his forte anymore." She shook her head and addressed them again. "The point of this exercise is this: there are many, many different ways that one could interpret the prophecy. However, one thing is clear: each of you heard this prophecy for a reason."

Albus looked around. "What do you mean? Like, we're a part of the prophecy?"

"Perhaps not directly, but yes, you are involved." The headmistress waved her wand, and the whiteboard sped out of sight. "This is a unique thing about Seers and prophecies: a prophecy is always uttered to someone who needs to hear it. Think about your father, Albus and Lily: the Second Wizarding War happened very much because of a prophecy about him, yet he was not even born yet when it was uttered, again by Sybill Trelawny. Two individuals heard it: Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, both former Headmasters of Hogwarts. Dumbledore helped ensure that your father was safe growing up so that he could fulfill the prophecy and fight the Dark Lord, and Snape took that information to Voldemort directly, who interpreted it and singled out your father as his mortal enemy. It wasn't just coincidence: it was fate." 

She pointed at Cassie. "It is no coincidence that you repeated a prophecy that had long been forgotten: you, the only known living Seer in the magical world. Your ability makes you unique, special, important."

She pointed at Albus and Lily. "You both are the children of Harry Potter, a man who has been the subject of two different prophecies, defeated the last Dark Lord, and is arguably the most powerful wizard in the present day. Your mother is Ginny Potter, a powerful witch in her own right who has long since proven capable of forging her own path. Whether you admit it or not, the two of you will have the ability to shape the next generation of witches and wizards, as within you lies the combined power of both your mother and father."

Last, she turned to Letti. "And you, Leticia Lunetti, are most unique among us all: gifted with a unique mark that grants you the ability to cast spells without the need of a wand. Your parentage still remains a bit of a mystery, though some secrets might hopefully soon be properly uncovered. You are mentioned directly in the prophecy, and thus your fate lies with it."

She paused. "The five of us are bound in this, whether we like it or not. Each of us will have a role to play as this prophecy unfolds. Do not try to run from it. As Headmistress McGonagall told me once, 'One often finds themselves fulfilling a prophecy as they attempt to avoid it.' Feel free to go down to the Great Hall and get some dinner; I am sure you are all tired and hungry, and I do not want to keep you much longer. Yes, Miss Potter?"

Lily had her hand raised again. "Um, Headmistress, do we need to keep all of this a secret?"

The headmistress shook her head. "No. I have seen what happens when prophecies are kept a secret, and I realized earlier tonight that I myself had done a disservice by hiding this prophecy from others all those years ago. Feel free to tell your friends. Any other questions? No? Very well, then. Off you go." 

She waved them away, leaving them all with much to consider as they walked down the steps to the Great Hall.


	21. Downward Spiral

For the next week, Letti had no idea whether she actually got any sleep or not. The prophecy ate at her like a colony of termites chewing on a good piece of wood - she could feel herself withering away as the paranoia of the situation set it.

Luckily, she wasn't alone in her insomnia. While Cassie was getting more sleep than Letti, it was not by much. Both of them spent many nights sitting up, chatting away their nervousness.

"You don't think we're going crazy, do you?" Letti asked one night. It was nearly two in the morning.

"Oh, we definitely are. But at least we're going crazy together!" Cassie lay back in her bed and frowned. "I feel bad for Lily."

"Me, too." Like them, Lily had been steadily increasing in paranoia since their meeting in the headmistress' office. The lack of sleep was definitely getting to her. Just the other day during Transfiguration, she had accidentally turned her desk into a tree - it had taken Professor Patil twenty minutes to rectify the situation and clear the leaves out from the floor. While the three of them were all able to be together in their paranoia for most of the school day, at night Cassie and Letti and to go to the Slytherin dormitory, and Lily was left alone in Gryffindor Tower. "Have you heard anything from Albus?" Letti asked.

Cassie shook her head. "Nope. He's still avoiding me. Avoiding us, I should say." Ever since that night, they hadn't seen head nor tails of Albus Potter. They knew he was still attending his classes, based on what other classmates said, but otherwise it was as if he had become a ghost. He didn't even eat in the Great Hall anymore.

"Weird. Do you think he's okay?" Letti kept an eye on Eggsy, who at the present moment was trying to make a run for the door despite being harnessed to her bed.

Cassie shrugged. "Honestly, I'm over him now."

"Really?"

"Yeah! That fool could have stuck with us in solidarity this week, but instead he's just up and abandoned us. He's not worth my time."

Letti looked at her friend in a new light. "That's really mature of you."

"What can I say? All it took was a prophecy." She threw the bed covers over her. "Y'know what, maybe I will get a little sleep. Remember what the headmistress said? We have no idea how this prophecy will manifest. I bet we'll have a long, long time before anything happens."

"I think the prophecy is starting."

Lily Potter found them the next morning in the Great Hall. Her hair was all askew, her eyes bloodshot. While Letti and Cassie had managed a few hours' sleep the previous night, it was clear that the younger girl had not.

"What do you mean?" Letti asked, yawning. She still needed more sleep to deal with the day.

"I mean, I heard a rumor from one of the sixth-years." Lily leaned in close to them, speaking in a hushed whisper. "There's been hellhounds sighted near Hogsmeade. Some worse stuff, too."

"Hold up, hellhounds this close to Hogwarts?" Cassie looked incredulous.

"It makes sense, though," Letti said. "The headmistress won't let anyone go to Hogsmeade, and isn't that a thing that third-years and up are supposed to have access to? Why restrict students from going there if there wasn't something to hide?"

"PLUS," Lily's eyes were wide with paranoia, "I remember reading a few weeks ago that everyone in Hogsmeade was evacuated to one of the nearby cities. They wouldn't do that unless there was a  _ real _ threat."

The very thought of the suggestion hung between them. Letti shuffled nervously. She didn't feel prepared for a prophecy yet, but…

"We have to see if something's going on." The other two girls looked at her. Letti tried to sit up confidently. "Think about it. The Headmistress said that we were going to be a part of this. Maybe that means we have to be the ones to find out what's  _ really _ going on and stop the hellhounds from attacking Hogwarts!"

"She's on to something." Lily nodded. "Remember on Halloween when that Gargantula got in? There had been hellhounds spotted at the Quidditch pitch just before it attacked! What if the hellhounds at Hogsmeade are really just small-fry compared to something bigger lurking in the area."

"That's true." Letti was in complete agreement. "At the Holiday Party, there were hellhounds along with that giant scorpion thing. Could be that something a lot bigger is lurking out there, waiting to strike." She looked at Cassie. "We should go exploring. Tonight."

Cassie looked at her incredulously. "Seriously? Like, look, I'm with you that things are a little scary right now, but we're just kids. Prophecy or not, going into the Forbidden Forest to look for hellhounds sounds like a death wish."

"Fine then. We'll just go without you." Lily stormed off in a huff.

Cassie grimaced. "Sheesh, she needs some sleep. You're not really going to go out there and look for hellhounds, are you?"

Letti shrugged. "I think it's important we try and get to the bottom of things. And besides, I have Lilith and my mark: what could possibly go wrong?"

Later that evening, she waited for Lily by the staircase in front of the Great Hall. She had left Eggsy in her dormitory - there was no need to risk the little one, especially since they were going into the Forbidden Forest. Letti did wonder if it was necessarily the best idea to go somewhere that was so expressly 'forbidden'; she had had quite enough trouble her first year at Hogwarts as it was.

Teachers and students walked past her as she waited. She recalled that, not a week ago, this was the spot where she had first heard the prophecy. It was strange how quickly things could change. It hadn't even been a year since she had first learned that she was a witch, and yet here she was, in the middle of the most magical school on the planet, surrounded by witches and wizards and bearing a magical mark. Her life had become unreal.

Mister Finnigan walked past, talking quietly with the Potions Master, Professor Mercury. "What ingredients did you say were missing?" he asked.

"Strange ones. Oh, things like nightshade and harp's blossom. Nothing that makes any lick of sense. Sure, you could mix some of them together…" Their voices trailed off as they walked into the Great Hall, and Letti was too bored to pay too much attention.

Lily finally arrived. "Are you ready?"

Letti nodded. "We'll want to be quick so we don't get caught."

They decided to go out as if they were headed to Hagrid's hut into the Wild Zone, skipping side-by-side. Letti realized that there was a benefit to their rumored relationship: nobody questioned seeing them together. To anybody else, they were just a happy couple off to say hi to Hagrid.

As soon as they were within sight of Hagrid's hut, however, they made an immediate detour and darted into the forest. "Do you know where you're going?" Letti asked Lily, who had taken the lead.

"I think so," she said. "My dad used to take me and my brothers to Hogsmeade all the time, and I can remember seeing Hogwarts in the distance. So we should start going...that way." She pointed to their right. Letti, having no idea where anything was in the Forbidden Forest and still being mildly sleep-deprived, followed.

They walked for ten minutes when the sound of snarling echoed through the forest.

"Do you think that was hellhounds?" Letti asked.

"I dunno," Lily said. "All sorts of creatures live out here, though. It could've been anything."

Letti rubbed her shoulders. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Are you getting cold feet?"

"No! Just...cold."

The two girls giggled. Letti wasn't lying, though; despite wearing some of her thickest robes, she  _ was _ feeling a bit cold. The wind that night was especially brutal, and it whipped right through her several layers.

The snarling sound came from their left, closer this time.

"Hellhounds?" Letti asked.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good."

Letti took out her wand and whispered, " _ Caninfernum _ ." Lilith immediately bound into their world, spinning around and greeting her with a wet kiss. 

Lily fell over backwards. "Y-you...you can summon a hellhound?"

"Oh...right." She had forgotten to explain some things to Lily. "This is Lilith. And, yeah, I can summon a hellhound. Professor Malfoy taught me because they were worried I might summon her by accident and hurt someone."

"S-she has a name?"

"Yep! Lilith, say hi to Lily." The hellhound crept up to the smaller girl. After a thorough sniffing inspection, the beast licked Lily on the face.

"Blech!" Lily tried to dry herself with her robes. "She seems...nice. I didn't even know that hellhounds could  _ be _ friendly."

"Yeah! Professor Malfoy has one named Scorpio. Oops!" Letti put a hand over her mouth. "I was supposed to keep all of this a secret. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's cool that you get to do all this extra training." They started walking again. Lily kicked some dead branches out of the way. "All my dad wants to do is talk Quidditch, like it's the most important thing in the world."

"Really? I thought he'd be all into the Auror stuff."

"He is, definitely, but ever since he and Mom divorced he's been acting like Quidditch is all he's ever cared about. Heck, Mom  _ was _ a Quidditch player for a team and even she doesn't talk about it as much. It's annoying."

"I'm sorry, that sucks."

"Eh, at least I've learned to fly pretty well. Could probably make the Gryffindor team next year if I tried out."

The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting everything in eerie shadows, but they hardly noticed. They continued chatting as they walked towards where they had heard the snarling sound. Behind them, Lilith plodded along cheerfully, her tongue lolling out of her maw. The conversation helped them feel less cold, as if their friendship were enough to heat them up.

Their conversation, however, distracted them from their surroundings. In their cheer they did not notice as the forest grew darker and more ominous. They did not notice as they began to tread over ground more covered in cobwebs than in grass. They did not notice as  _ something _ moved in the trees above them.

Lilith was the first to pay attention, a low growl rumbling deep in her throat. Letti and Lily, however, were too absorbed in their conversation to even notice this change in the hellhound. Exhaustion had sapped them of all logic.

" _ WOOF _ !"

Her loud bark snapped them to attention. "What is it, girl?" The girls followed the hellhound's gaze up, up into the treetops.

A host of spiders blinked down at them.

"Letti," Lily whispered. "What do we do?"

Something large crashed through the trees behind them, and they turned as the largest spider Letti had ever seen stepped into full view in the moonlight. It did not attack them, though, instead remaining a few dozen feet away, observing them. The spiders in the trees also stayed where they were. Lilith growled menacingly.

"What do you want?" Lily asked.

"Why are you speaking to them?" Letti said in a hushed whisper.

"I think they're acromantulas. They might understand us."

The largest spider tapped its feet impatiently. " _ Oh yes _ ," it said. " _ We understand you _ ."

The girls huddled back against Lilith. "Are you going to eat us?" Letti asked.

" _ It is customary to eat prey that wanders so willingly into our territory, yes. Yet you keep one of those accursed creatures as your pet, so for now you shall live. _ "

Letti looked back at her hellhound. "What, you mean Lilith?"

" _ That foul creature should not have a name. It is unworthy _ ."

"Unworthy? Why? Do  _ you _ have a name?"

The creature slammed its front two legs down on the ground hard. " _ I AM MALGOG _ !" it cried. " _ I lead this colony as I have done for decades! I keep my kin safe from wretches like that which you keep company with! _ "

"I'm sorry we offended you, Malgog," Lily said, bowing her head. "We came here looking for other hellhounds, wild ones that were rumored to be threatening Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Lilith here is a tame hellhound. She's different."

" _ No matter. _ " Malgog still did not seem pleased, though it had calmed slightly. It spoke slowly, methodically. " _ A hellhound is a hellhound, regardless if it is tame or not. It does not belong in this world. _ "

Lily took a deep breath. "Have you seen other hellhounds in the area?"

" _ Not wild ones, as you claim. But there are creatures such as these, yes. Fleshlings come from the school above and summon them in the forest. They summon other things, too. Things far, far worse. _ "

"'Far worse'?" Letti quoted. "Wait, you mean there are people from Hogwarts coming in here and summoning them?"

" _ Indeed I do. Beware the company you keep, children. There are traitors in your midst. _ " Malgog slammed its leg down. " _ I demand that you leave. Your beast frightens my children, I do not wish for there to be violence this night _ ."

Lily bowed her head again. "Thank you, Malgog. We'll...just be going then." She grabbed Letti by the arm and began dragging her away.

They were walking fifteen minutes when Letti finally forced them to a stop. "I need to rest," she said. She sat on a fallen log, exhausted. "Great job back there, talking to that spider."

"Thanks. My dad had a run-in with acromantulas his second year. Nearly got eaten. I'm glad we were able to get away." Lily joined her on the log, nursing a sore ankle. "What do you make of what it said? Traitors at Hogwarts?"

"I dunno, but it definitely sounds like something bad is happening."

"Yeah, but…" Lily yawned. "Goodness, I'm tired."

"Me, too." Letti yawned. "I haven't gotten much sleep lately. You?"

Lily leaned her head against Letti's shoulder. "Not since the headmistress talked to us about the prophecy."

Letti looked around. It was just the three of them: her, Lily, and Lilith. "Maybe…" she said, her voice slipping. "Maybe some sleep would be...would be...a good....idea…" She closed her eyes and drifted off.

When she awoke, Letti found herself leaning against Lilith's large flank. The hellhound had settled next to them, her body rising and falling with each heavy breath. Lily was sprawled across Letti's lap, asleep.

She blinked. Sunlight was streaming in through the treetops

Sunlight?

She shook Lily awake. "Lily, wake up! I think we slept all night!"

The other girl sat up groggily. She had drooled all over Letti's robes. "Was happenin'?"

"It's morning! I think...the sun looks really bright. We need to get back to school before people get worried!"

After a few minutes she was successful in getting her friend up and moving. After quickly de-summoning Lilith ("I don't want people to accidentally see her," Letti explained), they started marching off in what they hoped was the right direction.

"If the sun is rising and it's over there, then Hogwarts must be just ahead," Lily explained.

Another hour passed before Letti began to properly doubt her friend's directional skills. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"I thought I did!" Lily bit her lip. "Based on the location of the sun in the morning, we absolutely should have come across  _ something _ by now."

Letti looked at the light. It seemed...darker. "Um...and what if the sun wasn't actually rising?"

"Well, then we would be going clear in the opposite direction of school."

"Ah. Okay then." Letti glanced at the sun again. "So...we might have been asleep for a lot longer than I originally theorized."

"You don't mean-"

"We might have slept through the day."

Lily sat on the ground in a huff. "So we've been going in the wrong direction for an hour. We're completely lost!" She bit her lip. "I bet everyone is really worried about us…"

"Yeah...what is it, Sunday? We didn't miss any classes, at least."

"Yeah, but…" Lily buried her face in her hands. "We were gonna have this party tonight, in Gryffindor Tower. Mister Finnigan was helping get things set up. Kind of like a pre-Valentine's Dance celebration. I was actually really excited for it! And now I'm gonna miss it."

"I'm sorry." Letti's shoulders sank. "I feel like all I do lately is mess things up for everyone else."

"That's not true!"

"Yeah it is. I messed up Cassie's chance to ask Albus to the dance, I hurt Max when I didn't mean to, and I got in a duel on the first day of classes! Now I've got us turned around in the middle of the Forbidden Forest."

"Yeah, but you can do a lot of incredible things, too! You've fought off monsters, what, like two or three times? You even defended people alongside my dad! You're pretty amazing, Letti."

Letti was glad Lily couldn't see her face turning red in the fading light. "Thanks."

"Okay." Lily seemed to have found some inner calm. "Now let's focus on getting out of here."

The sound of something racing through the forest stopped them from forming a plan. Both of them spun around, trying to see what was making the sound. It seemed to come from everywhere. Letti contemplated summoning Lilith again, in case it was the acromantulas coming after them, when suddenly…

"Girls!" A centaur leapt over a fallen tree and stopped in front of them.

"Professor Lapithes!" Letti had never been more glad than to see him.

A wave of relief washed over his face. "Thank goodness I found you. Are you both alright?" They nodded. "Oh, that is wonderful news. Come, hurry. We must get you back to Hogwarts immediately."

"What's wrong?" Letti asked, following him through the forest. The tone of his voice worried her.

"'What's wrong?'" he repeated. "What's wrong? My dear girl, the two of you have been missing for an entire day! We feared the worst. But more than that…" He looked up at the sky. "We have a blue harvest moon tonight. It bodes ill."

"Oh." Letti did not understand how a moon could bode ill, but thought it better not to question it. She was just glad they were going to be safely back at Hogwarts.

They moved swiftly through the forest. Perhaps it was because the centaur knew exactly where he was going, but they made rapid progress. Within an hour, they could see the tops of Hogwarts' battlements.

He led them into the Great Hall, where the headmistress was sitting nervously at the head table. "Oh thank goodness!" she cried. "Thank you, Lapithes. If you don't mind informing the others that we've found them, then take a well-deserved rest."

"Of course. Thank you, Headmistress." He bowed his head before departing.

Headmistress Patil turned on the two girls. "What were you thinking? Sneaking off into the Forbidden Forest, going missing for over a day! I hope both of you have a perfectly-good explanation for all of this."

Letti was at a loss for words. "I...we…"

"It was my fault, headmistress." Lily's voice sounded tiny in the wide space. "There had been rumors of hellhounds in the forest, and I was worried that it was a sign of the prophecy. I convinced Letti to come with me because she's a part of the prophecy and I needed protection. I didn't mean to get us completely lost."

The headmistress eyed them both, not entirely convinced. She spoke a moment later, choosing her words carefully. "Well, I hope you're happy, Miss Potter. In all the years your brothers have been here,  _ neither _ of them have ever done anything quite so reckless. You put yourself and Miss Lunetti in grave danger, and worried everyone in the process. I will make sure that both of your parents are informed of this." She turned to Letti. "Miss Lunetti, you are on thin ice. I have been able to protect you from real punishment before because your actions were purely accidental, but this crosses a line. I recall telling you before the winter break that, should you ever find yourself in a moment of crisis or about to uncover something, you were to come to me or Professor Malfoy first,  _ before _ getting involved in such trouble. I have half a mind to expel you right now."

"No!" Letti let the word slip out of her mouth.

"BUT," the headmistress continued, "I don't think that casting you out into the world would do you any good. So while you may stay here at Hogwarts, understand that there  _ will _ be severe consequences." She stood up. "Girls, you must understand that you cannot go seeking out a prophecy. I know that having even an inkling into the future can be terrifying, but that doesn't mean that we go roaming about looking for trouble. I want you to put the concerns of prophecy from your mind; pretend that the prophecy does not exist, and instead focus on school. Focus on your classes."

Professor Malfoy entered the Great Hall, a look of relief flashing across his face when he saw them. It was quickly followed by frustration. "Professor Malfoy will escort both of you back to your dormitories. From now on, you will have a teacher escort with you from when you leave your dormitory to when you return. Should we manage to go a few weeks without issues, we can reassess the situation." She nodded at the professor.

"Come with me. Lily, we'll get you back to Gryffindor Tower first."

Professor Malfoy seemed sullen as they walked through the dark, empty halls. It must have been late at night. Letti clutched her stomach. She just realized she hadn't eaten anything since the previous day.

"Can we-?"

"No. It'll have to wait until morning." Scratch that. Professor Malfoy was  _ definitely _ sullen.

They made it to Gryffindor Tower in silence. The professor had to provide Lily with the password, since she hadn't been there all day and missed the new one. Just before she went inside, she wrapped Letti in a big hug. "Thanks for not being mad at me."

"Thanks for having my back." Letti hugged her back.

The walk back was no less awkward. Malfoy was mad. "What you did was exceptionally foolish," he said. "You should have known better than to go gallivanting off into the forest."

"I know...I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it, Letti. I'm serious. I expect better from you. You cannot just go-" He stopped.

Their way was blocked by four hooded figures.

"Who are you?" the professor demanded, pulling out his wand. "Identify yourselves."

The hooded figures remained silent.

"Professor…"

"It's okay, Letti. Probably just some students trying to have some fun." Malfoy pointed his wand at one of them. "You. Identify yourself immediately."

Before she had time to react, she heard the scurrying of feet behind her. Then a black bag was tossed over her head, a violent force struck her...and everything went dark.


	22. Kidnapped

Kidnapped

She woke up in the dark.

The hood was still over her head, and she was being carried somewhere. That much she did know. But who the assailants were, why they had taken her and attacked Professor Malfoy, or where exactly she was were all a mystery to her.

She listened closely. Training with Malfoy and the  _ Obscuro _ spell had helped her to hear better.

There was more than one person, that was for sure. She could hear multiple footsteps. It didn't sound like they were walking on the cobblestone steps of Hogwarts' halls. It sounded like...grass? Dirt?

Had they gone outside?

She had no idea how long she had been knocked out for, so being outside was certainly within the realm of possibility. But if they were outside, where were they taking her? And for what purpose?

"Who are you?" she called. Her voice was muffled from the hood. She tried to remove it, but found that her hands had been bound.

Nobody responded. She decided to try again.

"Hey, who are you people?"

There was again no response, but the person carrying her did adjust her slightly, letting out a tired grunt. It sounded like a man, or at least someone with a deep voice.

"C'mon, you're not even going to tell me who you are?"

Silence. She let out an exasperated sigh.

Letti ran through her various options. Since talking with them and negotiating seemed an impossibility, she would have to take matters into her own hands. Her hands were bound, but not her feet. If she could use some magic and get herself free, there was always the chance she could get back to Hogwarts and get help.

She thought about waiting, remembering what Malfoy had told her about patience and the importance of waiting for the right moment. But with no idea who these people were, where they were, or what they wanted with her, she felt like she couldn't risk it. She  _ had _ to escape.

She took a deep breath and concentrated, thinking about which spells she wanted to use to break free. She didn't know of any off-hand that would break the bindings around her wrists, and didn't want to cause any real damage to her captors without knowing who they were first. There was really only one spell she could think of that could get her out of this mess properly.

" _ LUMOS _ !" she cried, closing her eyes.

She felt a burst of heat as her brand lit up, and presumably a ball of light issued forth. Her captors cried out, blinded by the sudden brilliance in the darkness, and the person holding her dropped her unceremoniously. After groaning for a brief second at the hard landing, she got to her feet, ripping the hood off her head with her bound hands and running through the night.

She wasn't far from Hogwarts - she could see it just over the next hill. A sigh of relief came from her lips. Good. She wouldn't have far to run. Once she got a little closer she could probably shout for help; there was a good chance someone would hear her.

" _ Petrificus Totalus _ !" the sound a boy's voice from behind her warned her that they were firing off spells. She zig-zagged as she ran, yelping when a blast of magic struck the ground next to her.

"Get after her!" More spells firing off. Letti's legs were exhausted - she had still never gotten a proper rest from the ordeal in the Forbidden Forest, and her body moved slower than she liked. She pressed onward. She was almost there…

Something hit her back, and she fell to the ground, unable to move. One of the spells had connected. She landed face-first into the dirt, grimacing as her face smacked the ground hard.

Her captors caught up to her. "What should we do with her?" one said. It was a boy's voice, a young one.

"Just pick her up and carry her like you were 'sposed to. She's stunned now, she won't be doing anything." This voice was angrier, bossier. It was also a boy's voice, but she almost thought she could recognize it…

"What if she tries to escape again?"

"Then we stun her again, you idiot. Geez, how stupid are you?" The voice sounded so familiar…

She had hoped that when they picked her up again, she would see, but they were either too smart or just lucky, and all she could see was the back of some robes as she was hoisted over someone's shoulders. They were school robes, she was pretty sure, which meant that whoever had attacked and captured her were students.

But which students at Hogwarts would want to cause her harm?

Her first thought was Gryffindors. After all, she had certainly caused them plenty of grief so far this school year. She had gotten into a duel and caused one of their own to be expelled (although, really, he had done it to himself, she thought to herself); she had been in a near-constant rivalry with their star first-year, though that seemed to be nearing its end; and she had seriously injured Max Diggins. If anyone had reason to hate her, it was the students in Gryffindor House.

And yet, if it were Gryffindor students, the bossy voice had not been entirely familiar to her. It certainly wasn’t Max Diggins - his voice was too squeaky, and his friends could never help shouting “Big D!” after everything he said. It couldn’t be Lily, either; she had just left her before the assault, and they were finally becoming friends!

...the assault. Professor Malfoy had been there, too. Was he okay? She hadn’t heard him or noticed him being carried by the kidnappers, so where was he? Had he…

If she could shake her head, she would have; she couldn’t afford to think like that right now. She needed to focus on getting out of this mess.

The ground was changing from grass and dirt to gravel. More stone steps appeared, and Hogwarts castle was becoming naught but a dark silhouette in the distance. Letti wasn't familiar with where they were going. It wasn't the Dark Forest, that was for sure.

There was also the question of why. Why was she being targeted for this kidnapping? What could they possibly hope to accomplish?

Questions continued to bounce around in her head as they carried her further and further away from the school. The moon was hiding behind a smattering of clouds. Everything was cast in an impenetrable shadow - the light from her captor's wands was too weak to reach her, though she was vaguely aware of it.

The Petrification Spell began to wear off after a while, and she took a deep sigh of relief and flexed her fingers. There was the thought of trying to escape again, but to what end? She could hardly see in the dark, and if she used another light spell they would just be able to recapture her more. The risk of angering her captors and causing them to seriously hurt her was too great. For now, she would have to remain a captive.

"Who are you guys?" she asked, hoping she could get someone to talk to her.

Silence.

"HEY!" she screamed.

The person holding her paused. "Should I petrify her again?"

"Nah." The bossy voice sounded bored. "Let her scream all she wants - we're too far from Hogwarts for anyone to hear her."

They kept walking, the path now outlined with small stone walls. "What about the villagers?" someone else asked. This voice again sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it…

"Nobody's left," the bossy voice responded. "All the rumors of hellhounds and monsters got them running scared. Even that ol' coot running the Hog's Head finally left last month. There isn't a soul around but us."

"Are the rumors...true?" Letti swore the voice belonged to Zayden Brooks, a first-year Gryffindor. He was always getting scared of things.

"Only a little," the bossy voice said. "I summoned a few hellhounds to patrol the area, but nobody's actually been hurt. Yet."

There was cheerful chattering among the other kidnappers. Her particular captor added, "Man, I'm glad you came back, Trey. You're so smart."

The cheering stopped short. Letti's eyes went wide. "Trey?" she whispered. Then, louder. "Trey McCormack?"

Everyone else went silent. She heard a shuffling of boots and the sound of someone smacking her captor atop the head, muttering an angry curse. Footsteps circled around her until, finally, he came into view.

Trey McCormack had not aged well. When last she saw him, he had been at the top of his game, an older student with attention to his appearance: clean robes, slicked-back hair, and shoes that glimmered in the light. Now, however, he was a mess: his robes were muddy, scuffed, and torn in several places; his hair was a nest of dirt; his shoes looked half-broken, the soles worn thin. The only thing that remained consistent was his cruel smile.

"Hey, punk." He put a hand to his hip, a smug expression across his face.

"Y-you? But I thought you were expelled! You were sent back home!"

"I was  _ supposed _ to go back home." His smirk lowered into a scowl. "But I didn't want to let my parents know some bratty first-year like you got the better of me, so I stuck around. Besides, the boss has plans, and he needs me."

"The...boss?"

"Yeah. Hey, let's keep walking." He snapped his fingers, and the entourage of kidnappers continued their trek. "You're real dumb, aren't you? I mean, sure, you've got that weird magic mark, but boy you just can't see what's right in front of you, can you?"

"What do you mean?" Letti glared at him. She was not happy to see him return.

"Did you think it was just a coincidence that the Gargantula attacked the school? Or that the holiday party was attacked?"

"That was you?"

"Yeah it was! Well, kind of. I summoned the hellhounds that got the teachers to scurry away, just in time for my boss to summon the Gargantula. And I stole the invitations to the holiday party from my parents so that he could enter it and take out Harry Potter. Only you had to go and mess both of those plans up, didn't you?"

Letti remained quiet. She should have connected the dots sooner - it made sense that Trey would want to come after her. But she never thought he would be capable of outright attempted murder. After a moment of more thought, she asked, "Who's your boss? The guy in charge?"

Trey laughed. "Hah. As if I'd tell you." His smirk shifted to a vague sort of frown.

Letti seized on the moment. "You don't even know who he is, do you!?"

"I...of course I do! I just...don't want to tell you...because...I'm not a snitch!" He looked around awkwardly, and Letti knew she had him.

"Boy, your own boss didn't even trust you with his actual identity. What a loooooser."

Trey's grief became fury. "I'M NOT A LOSER!" he roared. He grabbed her and pulled her off from her captor's shoulders, throwing her to the ground. "YOU'RE THE LOSER!"

Tears came to Letti's eyes. That fall had really hurt.

Trey picked her up and shoved her backwards. She fell roughly to the ground. "You're just some stupid kid who has a freak mark," he growled. He kicked her. "Some stupid nobody with no parents who  _ nobody _ cares about. I'm going to  _ kill _ you." He took out his wand.

"Whoa, whoa!" One of the other kidnappers, a sixth-year Gryffindor, rushed between Letti and Trey. "Yo, Trey, that's not the plan you told us, remember?"

There was a brief pause as Trey glared down at Letti, his eyes red with fury. Then, a pause. He took a deep breath and pocketed his wand. "You're right," he said. "I let my emotions get the better of me. C'mon, let's get her to the town square already."

Someone grabbed her by the hand and started dragging her down the road. They were in the midst of a small village - was this the Hogsmeade she had been hearing so much about? Eventually she tried to bring herself to her feet so that she wasn't bumping along everything on the ground. Her robes were already getting tattered from the events of the last few days, and she could feel a number of cuts and bruises all over.

They dragged her to the center of the village, where a marble fountain depicting a stag lay devoid of water. Trey pointed at the statue. "Tie her up against it."

The boy shoved her roughly over the lip of the fountain and against the statue. They took even more rope and tied her whole body to the statue - her hands were still bound from before. Trey seemed to take immense pleasure in wrapping it as tight as he could, the thick rope pressing painfully against her stomach. When it was done, she was so constricted she could hardly breathe.

"Now what?" one of the other Gryffindors asked.

"Now we head back to school." Trey looked too proud of his work. "Let the hellhounds feast while we finish the boss's plan."

They left, and Letti found herself alone in the darkness. She tried to wriggle free from the ropes. Anything to escape. But it was to no avail. They had done a good job of trapping her.

"Help!" she cried out. "Somebody help me!"

Her voice echoed feebly through the cobbled streets. She recalled McCormack saying that the village was empty. It was likely that there simply wasn't anybody within earshot.

Nobody there to save her.

She looked down at her bound hands. Her mark glimmered feebly in the shadows of the night. What good was having her powers if she couldn't use them?

Letti thought through the list of spells she knew. There were a few that could possibly help her. She could set the ropes on fire, for example, and burn through them to escape. Or she could use an Air Gust charm to blow the ropes away.

But both of those options came with risks. What would happen if she accidentally set herself on fire, or knocked herself against the statue? If she hurt herself, there was nobody out here to help her. No, she would have to find a solution that was less risky.

An idea came to mind: she could summon her hellhound, Lilith. After all, the beast would be happy to chew through the ropes for her. Plus, if there were actually other hellhounds out there, she could help keep her safe.

Letti took a deep breath. Okay. She could do this. Wheezing for air, she croaked, " _ Caninfernum _ !"

The mark on her hand glowed, then faded. Letti's shoulders sank. Nothing had happened. Of all the times for her powers to stop working, this was by far the worst.

Something howled nearby. She perked up. Maybe it was Lilith?

"Lilith!" she shouted. "Lilith, here girl!"

A dark shape came from around the corner of a building. Letti gulped. It was definitely not Lilith.

Another dark shape appeared, then another, then another, their eyes glowing green. There were at least four of them, Letti could see - she thought she could hear more coming from behind her. Even one hellhound would have been frightening enough. This was too many for her to handle.

They crept closer, sniffing the air. One kept tapping the ground with its scythe-like appendages, the cobblestones cracking beneath the pressure. She could smell their rancid breath. "Stay back!" she cried. "Stay away, I'm warning you!"

They didn't get the hint. She heard one creep up behind her, its claws scratching the dry floor of the fountain. They were certainly taking their time to attack her, Letti thought, unsure of whether she was happy about this. She wondered if they thought it was a trap, prey being left out all vulnerable for them. Maybe they would leave her alone…

One of the hellhounds bound forward, snapping its jaws. Before it could bite her, though, another one tackled it and yipped angrily. Suddenly the whole lot of them were fighting over who would get to chew this delectable meal.

One managed to escape the brawl, loping over towards her. Even in the darkness, she could see the slobber drooling down its jowls. It crept stealthily, as if hoping the others wouldn't notice that it was moving in her direction.

There was a flash of light, and another hellhound appeared and tackled it out of the way. More flashes of light, and suddenly hellhounds were fleeing, some vanishing into bursts of ash as jets of red light smote them in the night. Letti took gleeful pleasure in hearing their mournful howls. She was safe!

Someone muttered a spell, and the ropes gave way. Letti turned. Headmistress Patil stood nearby. "Are you okay?"

Letti nodded. "I think so. How did you-?"

Professor Malfoy walked up holding two wands - one of the Gryffindor students who had captured her stood sheepishly nearby. "We caught them trying to sneak back into Hogwarts." He looked ruffled, his face bruised. "They stunned both of us and left me in the hall," he explained. "I found the Headmistress and we set about finding you. Luckily, some of them are  _ very _ open to telling us the truth." He glowered at the Gryffindor.

"Did you find Trey?" Letti asked.

"Trey?" The headmistress looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Trey McCormack. He was leading them, kind of. He said he had a boss in Hogwarts who was giving him orders. He's been summoning the hellhounds to scare people away from Hogsmeade."

The two adults looked at each other. "He wasn't with the group we caught," Malfoy said. "That would mean…" He looked behind him, where other teachers stood with captured assailants. "We have to get back to Hogwarts immediately!" There was a popping sound, and the adults all disappeared.

The headmistress looked down at Letti. "Take my hand."

"What?"

"We're going to Apparate, and I need you to hold my hand so that you'll come with me. I'm not leaving you out here in the dark."

Letti cautiously took the headmistress's hand. It felt cold. The headmistress uttered a spell, and the giant hellhound that had been standing guard near them disappeared in a puff of ash. "This is going to feel strange," Patil warned her.

A split-second later, she felt a pulling sensation, like all of her insides were trying to become her outsides. The air whooshed around her, blurring into an incomprehensible blur of color and light...and then it was over. She keeled over and threw up.

"Oh no." The headmistress's voice beside her was full of fear. Letti blinked. For a split-second she wondered if she had thrown up on Headmistress Patil's shoes. Then she realized that the woman was looking towards something else. She lifted her head and followed the headmistress's gaze.

Letti let out a gasp.

Hogwarts was ablaze.


	23. Fire and Fury

Hogwarts was on fire.

Pillars of smoke stretched as far as the eye could see. Flames burned through the windows, snaking their way around the stone towers, licking at the terraces. Letti could feel the heat from where she stood, across the great stone bridge.

Fire was not the only concern. Though it was difficult to make out from a distance, dark shapes flitted about. She was pretty sure she knew what they were, based on their shape and movement: hellhounds. Lots of them. 

Even worse were the large, spider-like forms that crawled around the exterior of the castle. Letti was pretty sure those were Gargantulas, and she had to swallow the bile that came up in memory of when she tried to fight one of those things. How could anyone try to take on multiple? How was she going to help her friends?

She felt a comforting hand land on her shoulder and looked up. Professor Malfoy stood next to her. "They'll be okay, Letti."

Headmistress Patil shook her head as if clearing her thoughts. "We need to get inside." She began pointing and giving orders. "Ursula, Qebsetura, stay here with the students and keep them safe - I'll send out any additional staff and students to you straight away. Bones, see if you can get ahold of authorities by any means necessary: phone, owl, whatever you can manage. The rest of the staff, come with me." She began striding across the bridge, wand out and ready.

Professor Malfoy hesitated a moment, turning back to speak with Letti directly. "Remember when I told you to let the adults handle things sometimes? This is one of those moments." He started walking away down the bridge, then turned back and pointed at it. "I mean it, Leticia. Stay. There."

She nodded meekly. She wasn't even sure what good it would do, charging off. There were so many monsters in the way that she certainly couldn't fight.

Letti watched as the castle continued to burn, rubbing her bruised arms. Her body felt sore all over from the previous forty-eight hours. She hadn't taken a bath, slept in a proper bed, or eaten a hot meal since she and Lily Potter went off into the Forbidden Forest. What a foolish idea that had been. They were so convinced that the hellhounds in the village had something to do with the prophecy…

The prophecy. She recalled one of the lines:  _ At the end of the fourteenth, fire will give way to shadow… _

She shivered, staring at the scene in front of her. Hogwarts was ablaze. Fire.

What if this was the prophecy playing out?

_ The cursed brand will end it all _ …

What if this was her moment?

Letti fretted, looking from Hogwarts to the teachers who had been left to keep an eye on her and her fellow students. They seemed more focused on the burning school. She glanced back at the bridge. The other teachers had just reached the other side, and were busy battling a group of hellhounds flanked by a Gargantula. The front entrance was far too dangerous, so how was she supposed to get inside?

An idea popped into her head. She stole another glance at her guardians. Predictably, they were focused on the battle unfolding in front of them. The other students were the same way. Nobody was paying any attention to her.

She darted into the nearby woods without a sound. Noone seemed to even notice.

Letti stayed at the edge of the Black Lake, always keeping Hogwarts within sight. Directions had never exactly been her strong suit, and she didn't want a situation like earlier when she and Lily had gotten lost in the Forbidden Forest. Time was of the essence here.

She had made it halfway round the lake when a terrible creaking sound echoed about the area. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of the top of a tower (was it the Astronomy Tower? Hard to tell in the smoky darkness) collapsing in on itself. The tower itself seemed to be okay, but the roof had caved in, bits of burning wood scattering down to the ground below. Letti hastened her pace; there was no way to tell if anyone had been hurt or not.

After half an hour, she arrived at her destination: the ruins of Hagrid's old hut. She stepped inside and dropped down the hole, plunging into the darkness of the Wild Zone...

..and finding herself face-to-face with the end of a massive pink umbrella.

"Oh." Hagrid blinked at her, perplexed. He withdrew the umbrella from her face. "It's you."

"Hagrid, what's going on?" The man seemed on edge. One of his hands kept twitching.

"Started 'bout an hour ago. Hellhounds dropping in from above. I jus' barely stopped 'em from getting to the grindylows." He shook his head. "Whas' going on up there?"

"Hogwarts is under attack. I think." Letti frowned. "I don't really know. The school is on fire and there's a lot of monsters. I was kidnapped and taken outside, and now I have to get back in and help my friends."

"On fire?" Hagrid stepped back, alarmed. "No' again…" He shook his head, then stopped and pointed his umbrella at her. "I can' let you go, Letti. It's too dangerous. I can' let you get hurt."

"But Hagrid, I have to! My friends are in there, and this might be what the prophecy was talking about!"

He paused. "Prophecy?"

She nodded. "Yeah! Cassie's a Seer, and the other day she gave this prophecy about fire and shadow and a new Dark Lord and everything. And it said that the one with the mark could end it all; that could be me! I could stop the bad things from happening!"

He looked at her warily. "A prophecy…" The umbrella lowered from her face. "You promise yer tellin' the truth?"

She nodded. "I promise, I am. You can ask the Headmistress after all this is over."

He chuckled. "'Course I can. Alright, I 'spose there's no stoppin' ye. Le's get you over to the Dragon Circle, then." Hagrid began taking long strides away, toward the wooded section of the Wild Zone.

"You mean, you aren't going to stop me?" Letti followed closely behind.

"Nah. Yer not the first student t'have a prophecy about 'em, and I've seen there's no point in trying ter stop ye from gettin' in. I'm old, and you'd jus' find a way to sneak in yerself. Better I make sure you get in proper."

"Oh." She was surprised by this open candor. It was refreshing, given how often everyone seemed to be telling her  _ not _ to do things.

The Dragon Circle remained as it always was, the twelve stone archways encircling the dragon statue in the center. The pedestals remained solid and shining, aside from the one broken one. Letti glanced around. "Which one should I go through?" she asked.

Hagrid shrugged. "I dunno the sit'ation at the castle. Is there any place that might be safe?"

Letti tried to think. She knew that the Quidditch Pitch was a bad idea - that was outside the castle direct and would be as useful as just walking through the front entrance. Given that she just watched a tower fall apart, none of the towers seemed like a bright idea, either. She frowned. No place seemed like it would be guaranteed to be safe right now. "I think I'll try the dungeons," she decided out loud. "It's underneath everything and made of stone, so it should be less on fire, right?"

Hagrid nodded solemnly. "Makes sense. Jus' go ahead and tap yer wand to the pedestal."

"My wand!" Letti groaned. She hadn't had it since the kidnapping. "I lost it."

"You lost yer wand? That's not…" Hagrid stopped himself, sighing. "Here, I got ye."

He lumbered over to the gate with a note labeled  _ Dungeons _ and tapped the umbrella to the pedestal. " _ Aperiam Portal _ ," he croaked.

The gateway opened. Letti ran towards it, then hesitated. "Hagrid...thank you."

He smiled at her. "Go on, then. Save yer friends. Be careful."

"I will." She smiled back at him, turned around, and stepped through the gateway.

The corridor was swathed in darkness. She vaguely knew where she was - in the hall near Professor Malfoy's classroom - but with everything so dark, it was disorienting. " _ Lumos _ ," she said, and a ball of light appeared above her right hand.

For the most part, the dungeons bore no evidence of the chaos raging above. There were no hellhounds or other monsters. No flames burning wildly about. It seemed almost peaceful.

Then a scream sounded from down the corridor. Letti took off in pursuit.

Near the end of the corridor she found Billy Bonivard and a few other Slytherins desperately trying to get into the Slytherin Common Room. A hellhound blocked their way, snapping and snarling at them from the middle of the entryway. " _ S-Stupefy _ !" Billy cried, his wand expunging red sparks. They scattered across the beast, but did nothing.

Letti punched forward with her right arm and shouted, " _ Disinfernum _ !"

A bolt of red light snapped forward and smote the hellhound, whisking it away in a flurry of ash.

The other students blinked at her, amazed. Letti looked down at her fist and smiled - after failing her in Hogsmeade, her powers seemed to be working again.

"How did you do that?" Billy asked. He ushered everyone into the Common Room.

"It's a long story," Letti explained.

The Common Room was packed with students of various Houses; Letti saw the blue and yellow glimmer of students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Nobody from Gryffindor seemed to be hiding out here, though. Down by the entrances to the boys and girls dormitories, Letti caught sight of Cassie, Albus, and…

"Eggsy!" Letti raced forward and hugged the harness around the egg's shell. It had been several days since she had seen her companion, and the sight of it brought her joy.

Cassie wrapped Letti in a proper hug. "I was so worried!" she said. "First you and Lily were lost out in the woods, and then…" She waved her hand in the air above her. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Sort of." Letti looked out the windows. Even through the murk of the Black Lake, a red haze had settled in. It made it look as if the lake itself was burning. "A lot of Gryffindor students kidnapped me and attacked Professor Malfoy. He's okay, but they took me out to Hogsmeade. Other than that, I'm not really sure what happened here...oh! Trey McCormack is behind it. Sort of. He was in charge of the Gryffindors that took me, but he kept saying he was following the orders of a boss. I don't know who it is."

"Wait, Trey McCormack is back?" Albus looked angry. "He's responsible for this?"

Letti shrugged. "Maybe? I'm not entirely sure."

"That little-" Albus stomped off towards the Common Room entrance.

Cassie grabbed him by the sleeve of his robes. "Wait! You can't just go storming off to fight Trey!"

"I can and I will!"

"We have to stay safe!"

" _ Nobody _ will be safe so long as that git is out there summoning monsters and burning the castle down." Albus waved his arm around. "Do you really think we're safe here? Sure, it's harder for monsters to get to us, but if the castle starts collapsing from the fire, where do you think it's going to go? On top of us, that's where!" He whirled around. "I have to go after him."

He pushed his way through the entrance, leaving out into the halls. Cassie made as if to follow, and Letti came close behind. "Wait." She turned. Jesus Morales, the only other first-year Slytherin, stood nearby. "You're leaving us again?"

Letti nodded. "Look, I'm sorry, but we have to go and try to put an end to all of this."  _ The cursed brand will end it all _ …

He sniffled. "But what about all of us? What are we supposed to do?"

Letti considered for a moment before turning to Cassie. "He's right. We can't just leave everyone here. It's too dangerous."

Cassie sighed exasperatedly. "How are we supposed to get them all out of here? Blast our way through the front entrance? Last I checked there were like a dozen hellhounds hanging out by the Great Hall."

Letti turned to Billy. "Is there any other way out of the castle from here, other than through the Great Hall?"

He considered for a moment, his breathing still coming in rapid breaths from the previous hellhound incident. "I mean...there is, but...I dunno if we can get everyone through there…"

"We'll have to try." She stood up and addressed everyone collected in the room. "Okay, everyone! We're gonna get you out of here. Professors Mercury and Quebsetura are outside keeping everyone safe - we'll get you to them. Follow me!" She motioned for Billy to be by her side.

Cassie hopped next to her. "Taking charge, are we?"

"It's not safe for everyone to stay here. I don't want to think about what would happen if hellhounds learned to swim, or if the castle comes crashing down on top of us. They have to get outside."

"Hey, I'm not judging any more. I'm honestly impressed."

Letti yanked Eggsy's leash to get it to follow - it did not need much convincing, loving the opportunity to walk around. Together, the whole group of students filed neatly out of the common room. They passed by the stairs which led up to the Great Hall; Letti could hear the snarling sounds of hellhounds and the shouting of students and staff. She dearly hoped everyone was okay.

"So where is this way out, Billy?" she asked.

He swallowed. "So...it's more of a way  _ in _ , actually…"

"What do you mean?"

"Hogwarts has all kinds of secret tunnels, y'know? Lots of hidden passageways, trapdoors, that sort of thing. You've seen some, I bet. Well, a few years back, my buddy and I discovered this room that gives you whatever you need, pretty much. It's really secret; hardly anyone knows about it."

"Okay...and what does that have to do with the current predicament?"

"There are a few different ways into that room, including one down here in the dungeons. It just  _ happens _ to be in Professor Malfoy's office." He gulped. "You don't think he'll be mad, do you?"

"I very much doubt that, Billy. But how does this magic room help us get everyone out of here?"

"Just as it has different ways in, it also has different ways out. There's a tunnel that leads all the way to Hogsmeade. We can circle back and meet up with the teachers there."

Letti let out a sigh of relief. "Fantastic. Okay, great job."

They arrived at Professor Malfoy's office without incident. Billy began organizing the students into groups of three - together, they passed through a part of the wall that vanished with the right incantation. Soon the only students remaining were Billy, Letti, and Cassie.

"Just us then," he said. He offered his hand to Letti.

She shook her head. "I'm not going."

"Why not?"

"I have to get back out there and try to put an end to this." She held up her hand. "I think I'm the only one who can."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself." He darted through the passageway, disappearing out of sight.

Cassie shifted her feet awkwardly nearby. "So...you're really going to go out there into that mess?"

Letti nodded. "I have to. The prophecy, remember?" She paused. "Wait. Are you not going to come with me?"

"I just...it's really scary out there, Letti. I know you've got your cool powers and all, but even then, I just don't know. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be fine. Here, you take…" She looked down. The leash was in her hands, but Eggsy was not at the end of it. "Where did he go!?" Letti darted out into the hallway. In the darkness, it was impossible to see. She turned back to her friend. "You go through the passage. Get to safety. Um...maybe check to see if Eggsy went through somehow?"

Cassie nodded. "Hey, Letti…"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

Cassie stepped through into the passageway, disappearing out of sight.

Letti looked after her a moment, wondering if she had truly made the right decision. Cassie was right: it was going to be a mess up there. What if trying to stop everything was a mistake?

_ The cursed brand will end it all _ …

No. It was her destiny: the prophecy said so. She collected herself and took off back down the corridor, a ball of light hovering just above her hand.

At the steps to the Great Hall, some of the castle had already begun to crumble; it took Letti a moment to scramble over the rubble and make her way to the first floor. There she was surprised to find that there were no monsters in sight. There weren't even any students or teachers, prompting the question:

Where was everyone?

While there were no people or monsters, there  _ was  _ a good bit of fire. The doors to the Great Hall were completely engulfed, and the inside of the hall looked to be in a horrid state. She looked down the great steps - fires were raging down there, too. It was eerily silent.

Something clattered in the Great Hall, and Letti turned. A hellhound came loping out, drooling heavily. It saw her immediately and leapt in her direction.

" _ Disinfernum _ !"

A bolt of light, and the hellhound vanished with a whimpering howl.

The appearance of the beast made her realize just how vulnerable she was. She had gotten lucky, hearing it clamber over burning bits of furniture and door, but there was no guarantee she would be that lucky again. Thankfully, she did know someone who could help her out in this situation.

" _ Caninfernum _ !"

Lilith bound her way out of the rune in the air, spun around, and licked Letti with a joyful squeal. "I'm sorry I don't have any food for you," the girl said regretfully. She hadn't had anything for Lilith earlier when they were in the Forbidden Forest, either. The hellhound didn't seem to mind, however; she pranced around Letti like a show pony, her tail  _ thwack _ ing the ground with reckless abandon. "It's good to see you, too, girl."

They began making their way towards the Grand Staircase Tower - since that was where Gryffindor Tower was, she had a hunch that the renegade Gryffindors might be grouped up there. Secretly, however, she was also hoping to find Lily there. The other girl had become her friend, and she was hoping that she wasn't involved in this catastrophe.

The Grand Staircase was empty, just like everywhere else, nobody to be found. What there was plenty of, however, was fire. Smoke rose from the bottom of the tower, forcing Letti to put a hand over her mouth and nose to stop from breathing it all in. She kept a few paces back. There was no way she could go up the tower, not without risking serious harm.

As she began walking towards the courtyard, she heard the sounds of combat - monsters, and people fighting them. She hurried, Lilith racing by her side.

The courtyard was relatively empty, save for a few individuals: three hellhounds and three students. It was her friends: Lorcan and Lysander Scamander, and Lily Potter!

The hellhounds had them cornered at the edge of the courtyard, and were looking like they were about to make their final strike. "Lilith, go!" Letti ordered. Her hellhounds leapt forward gleefully, bowling the others to the side.

Letti was at her friends' sides in an instant. "C'mon, we'll work together!"

"Letti!" Lysander's face lit up. "Boy am I glad to see you!"

"Same!" his brother said. "What was the spell to get rid of these things again?"

" _ Disinfernum _ ," Letti reminded him. The enemy hellhounds were starting to get up. "Ready? On my mark. One...two...THREE!"

" _ DISINFERNUM _ !" Letti and the twins shouted this at the same time. Three separate bolts of energy snapped against the hellhounds' hides, and they vanished in an instant. Lilith bounced up and licked them each.

"Ew, Lilith!" Lysander cried, though he pet her snout.

"Are you all okay?" Letti asked.

Lorcan nodded. "We were trying to find you when we ran into her," he jabbed a thumb in Lily's direction, "and then the hellhounds started chasing us."

Lily nodded to confirm his story. "Yeah, it was scary." She looked down at her feet. "I'm really glad you're okay."

"Me, too." Letti shifted her feet awkwardly.

"Uh, guys, not to break up a sweet reunion, but we've got trouble." Lysander pointed. A Gargantula was crawling its way over the top of the buildings toward them.

And Trey McCormack was riding on top of it.

"Guess you survived!" he shouted. His smug face was contorted into a cruel sneer.

"No thanks to you!" Letti shouted back. The mark on her hand glowed hot with rage. She wanted payback.

Trey hopped off the Gargantula's back, but the monster kept crawling towards them. "I'd love to stay and chat," he called, "but I have my boss to protect and you're all about to die, anyways. Have fun!" He stood back as the giant arachnid stomped into the courtyard.

"Letti, any plans?" Lysander asked, grimacing.

Letti tried to remember how she bested the Gargantula on Halloween. None of the spells had done any real damage to it, other than…

"We need to try and get spells into its mouth," she said, looking at each of her friends in turn. "Specifically, I think fire is its weakness.  _ Incendio  _ is the spell, if you need it." She paused, even as the Gargantula crept closer. "Here's the plan. I'll distract it, create a shield spell. When I give the signal, fire your spells into its mouth. Okay?" She started racing forward. "Lilith, stay!"

"Wait, what's the signal!?!"

Letti ignored them, charging at the monster and waving her arms about. "HEY!" she shouted. "OVER HERE!"

It zeroed in on her, the beady eyes narrowing. It stomped several of its feet and charged.

Letti was prepared. Even as it lunged at her, she shouted an incantation, and a bubble of light popped into existence around her. The Gargantula struck the Protection Charm futilely, hissing and snarling as it tried desperately to claw at her.

She began walking back towards her friends, baiting the Gargantula into their direction. "Get ready!" she called out.

The Gargantula smashed its face against the bubble - the shield spell was starting to falter. Letti took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and dropped the shield. "NOW!"

Three cries of " _ Incendio _ " rang out, and three jets of fire burst from wands and smote the beast. It recoiled, stumbling backwards - two of the fiery spears had entered directly into its gaping maw. Crashing into stone pillars, cracking and breaking a few, it let out a few final desperate gasps of air before collapsing, dead.

Letti and company let out a joyful whoop. "Yeah, we did it!" Lorcan cried. He and Lysander high-fived each other ecstatically.

Lily rushed forward and wrapped Letti in a hug. "You were awesome," she said.

Letti was glad it was still dark so that they couldn't see her face turn beet-red. "You were pretty great yourself." She looked around. "Wait, where's Lilith?"

Lysander pointed towards the roof of the courtyard. There, standing atop and looking exceptionally proud, was Lilith. Beneath two of her enormous paws was Trey, his wand fallen down to the grassy knoll, helpless.

"Get this thing off me!" he shouted.

Letti walked over and picked his wand up. "Lilith, good girl. Stay please." The hellhound wagged her tail enthusiastically and panted.

" _ You _ control this thing?" Trey said, incredulous.

"Hard to believe, I know, but Lilith is my friend. And I don't think she's too happy you sicced a Gargantula on us." Letti gave the hellhound a pleasant smile. "Now, tell us where your supposed boss is so we can stop him."

"Pfft, as if I'm going to take orders from  _ you _ , freak."

"Lilith...snap." The hellhound peered down at her prey and snapped her jaws together close to his face.

He winced. "Okay, okay! Don't eat me!"

She tapped her foot impatiently. "So…?"

"He went to the Astronomy Tower! I swear! Just don't eat me!"

Letti looked at her friends. "Okay, so that's where we'll go. We'll have to move fast if we want to stop him."

Lily nodded. "I think I know a shortcut."

They started to leave. "Wait," Lysander said. "What about Trey?"

Letti looked up. He was still pinned by her hellhound. "Lilith, stay. We can just keep him there until this is all over. I have his wand, so he can't do anything."

"Don't leave me here with this thing?!" McCormack wailed. "I don't wanna die!"

"Oh hush!" Letti shouted. "She won't eat you. C'mon, let's get going. Lily, lead the way."

Lily led them back past the Grand Staircase, which was looking even worse for wear. Smoke billowed out the tower and into the hallway - the four students ducked down low and covered their mouths in order to keep from breathing in the fumes. Letti noticed with horror that many of the living paintings in the room were aflame. "What happens to them if their painting is destroyed?" she asked. The others shrugged - they didn't know.

"This way!" Lily cried, when they were finally free of the smoke. "We can cut through the Great…"

Her voice trailed off upon seeing the ruins of the Great Hall. The great oak doors had been completely demolished, reduced mostly to just ash with a few charred planks scattered about. The interior was no longer quite aflame as it had been when Letti last passed it - the fires had died out with the loss of material, and the ruins lay sizzling with the remaining heat.

A shout sounded from inside, and several bursts of multi-colored light lit up the dark space. They quickly filed into the room, hopping over smoldering piles of ash.

Two students were dueling in the simmering space, their wands ejecting bolts of light with furious haste. On one side was Albus Potter, his robes flowing around him like a pair of wings as he danced from one foot to the other, narrowly avoiding spells while casting more in return. On the other was his brother, James Potter, standing as still as a tree and deflecting his brother's incoming assaults.

"You don't stand a chance, bro!" James shouted. As a streak of red light speared toward him, he waved his wand and cast it aside as if it were no more than a fly. "You were never able to best me before, and you certainly can't now!"

"Shut up!" Albus shouted back. "Just. SHUT. UP!"

His brother cackled mercilessly. He had stopped attacking Albus, instead just focusing on deflecting the onslaught of spells that soared towards him.

"Stop it!" Lily's voice echoed around the Great Hall. Both brothers immediately stopped, turning with surprise to face her. "Stop it, both of you! I'm sick of you two constantly fighting each other all the time. Can't you just knock it off for one day? Look around you!" She waved her hands, gesturing at the ruins of the room. "The school is burning, people are in danger, and you two are fighting like a bunch of bickering  _ babies _ !"

James stepped forward, his arms outstretched. "Dear sister, there's no need for such language. We can all get along here."

"Can it, traitor." Albus kept his wand pointed in his brother's direction. "You're at least partly responsible for all this mess. You should be held accountable for your actions, for once."

"Hah, is that really what this is about? You're just mad because I've been clever enough to avoid retribution for some of my more bullish traits? Good lord, how childish. No  _ wonder _ Father doesn't like you as much."

Albus lunged towards him, but Lily held her hand out to stop him. "Wait. This isn't like him."

"What do you mean? This is  _ exactly _ like him." Albus was furious.

"I mean, him being a jerk, sure. But...this isn't how James talks." Lily took a curious step forward, squinting. "James, what's wrong with your eyes?"

Letti squinted, too. Sure enough, she saw what Lily was seeing: James' eyes were pale, as if he had gone blind. There was simply nothing there. Albus lowered his wand and took a peek, too.

It was the moment James had been looking for: his brother distracted. He quickly raised his wand, a cruel smile to his face as he began the incantation. " _ Avada K _ -"

A flash of red light, and James Potter collapsed in a heap to the ground, his wand scattering behind him with force. Little Lily Potter had her wand raised, a sorrowful expression on her face.

"Lily-?" Albus started, but stopped. His brother was curled up on the ground, sobbing.

"You've got to stop him," James said. "Please, he...he put something in our drinks at the party. It made us all just...listen to him. Please, you have to stop him." He looked up at everyone. His eyes, though now filled with tears, had returned to their normal color.

"We will." Lily grasped her brother's hands.

"I'm so sorry, Lily. Albus, I'm so sorry. I know we don't get along, but I never...I wouldn't have…"

Albus sighed and knelt down next to them. "I know, bro. It's okay. We can talk it out when all of this is over." He looked up at the others. "Look, I'll stay with him for now. Make sure he gets out of here okay. You lot go and finish this."

"Are you sure?" Lily had a hand on James' shoulder.

Albus nodded. "I'm sure. Go on, sis."

She wiped a tear from her eye and nodded. "Okay." She stood up. "C'mon. Let's figure out who did all of this and stop them."

They went through the back of the Great Hall, weaving through several smaller passageways Letti had never even known of before. Hogwarts really was full of secrets, wasn't it?

A few minutes later, they found themselves at the base of the Astronomy Tower. "This is it," Lysander said, shivering.

"Yep." Letti rolled her shoulders. "Everybody ready?" They nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

The climb to the top of the Astronomy Tower was more challenging than she had anticipated. On a normal day, the climb to the top of the tower was challenging enough - with several hundred stairs, it quickly became exhausting. The damage from the fires and monster attacks, however, had caused several sections of wall and stair to fall apart. In some cases, there was just a hole where stairs should be; in others, rubble had piled up and blockaded their path. They proceeded with caution, but also a hurried pace - the sooner they could put an end to this, the better.

They were climbing over a fifth pile of rubble when Letti paused. "Do you hear that?" she asked.

"What?" Everyone else stopped to listen.

A metallic clicking sound echoed feebly from beneath them. "It sounds like something's under there." Letti started grabbing bits of stone and shoving it out of the way. The others joined her. The process was arduous, but after several minutes it became clear that there  _ was _ something stuck beneath the rubble. It took them another minute when…

"Ouch!" Lorcan flinched back his hand. "That hurt!"

"What is it?" Letti asked.

"Whatever's down there burned my hand!" He showed his fingertips, which were burning bright red.

"No way." Letti sidled over to where Lorcan had been pulling rubble and grabbed some of the rocks nearby. "It's Eggsy!"

Sure enough, lodged beneath several large pieces of stone, was the burning egg. It did not appear to have suffered any damage from being buried beneath the brick and mortar - indeed, its only concern seemed to be with escaping from its prison. Letti carefully shifted back a few rocks and snatched the leash before Eggsy could make its escape.

"Should one of us take it back down?" Lily asked, biting her lip nervously. "It might not be safe for it to come with us…"

Letti glanced up. They were nearly to the top. "No, we'll take Eggsy with us."

The top of the tower was in shambles. She had been correct earlier: it had been the Astronomy Tower collapsing in on itself. The roof had caved in at the far end, the diorama of Earth and various stars and planets lay shattered on the ground. Like in the Great Hall, a few small fires still lay smoldering about, but most of the danger here seemed to have passed.

"I thought Trey said his boss person was here?" Lysander said. "Where is he?"

Letti walked with Eggsy to the parapet, which had been heavily damaged. Fires still raged far below. "Maybe he took a Gargantula and rode off?" Next to him, his twin shrugged.

Lily groaned. "Ugh, so we came all this way for nothing?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, children."

Everyone spun around. Climbing up the stairs, looking thoroughly proud of himself, was Mister Finnigan.

Letti's eyes widened. "It's you. You're Trey's boss."

He smiled and bowed. "In the flesh."

Lily growled and started raising her wand. There was a flash of light, and she stumbled backwards into Letti, her wand clattering to the ground. Letti caught her with both hands to keep them both from falling, loosening her grip on Eggsy's leash in the process. The burning egg, sensing a moment of freedom, struggled to wrestle free of its shackles. It wiggled this and way and that, finally causing the harness around its shell to come loose...and tumbled over the edge of the parapet.

"NO!" Letti leaned over to try and grab the egg, but it was too late. She could only watch helplessly as it tumbled down to the fires below.

"You monster!" The twins both attempted to attack Mister Finnigan, but both were disarmed with just a flick of his wrist.

"Unless you'd like to share the same fate as that stupid egg, I'd recommend you stay back." He looked furious, as if insulted by the very idea of students attacking him.

"Why are you doing this?" Letti could feel tears coming to her eyes. "Why would you want to hurt people so badly?"

"This isn't about hurting people, you insolent child." His eyes flashed red with fury. "This is about earning respect. Not that any of you would know what that means."

He waved his hands at the twins. "You two were born into one of the most well-respected wizarding families of our age: the Scamanders. Hmmph. Not like your father has done much to earn that renown - all he's done is ride off the fame of his grandfather, and both of you are only average at best. Your respect hasn't been earned, it's  _ inherited _ ."

He moved on. "And you, Lily Potter." He spat the last name out like it was a foul word. "Everyone knows who your father is, and it isn't like he's even properly heroic anymore. Just a puffed up celebrity who's gone soft with age. You might be a Gryffindor, child, and I am glad for that, but you hardly have to earn the success you've found so far."

At last his gaze fell upon Letti. "Leticia Lunetti. You  _ might _ have an idea of what I'm talking about; after all, you thought yourself a Muggle until about a year ago, am I correct? Living a regular, normal life, I'm sure you've seen how brutal it is out there for those of us who start out at the bottom." He clicked his tongue. "Yet here you are, another  _ special  _ child with another  _ special _ mark that makes you so damn  _ special _ . Your name is already gracing the lips of the wizarding elite, all just because you have some stupid fancy tattoo on your hand that lets you cast spells. Whoop-dee-doo." He scowled. "Each of you live off the fame of those who came before you, or the fame of sheer dumb luck.  _ None _ of you have had to earn that respect, had to claw your way for even so much as a scrap at the table. It doesn't help that your teachers, like the headmistress and her pet greased monkey, only perpetuate the imbalance. Letting you get off scot-free when you make mistakes that hurt others, when you do things that would absolutely have gotten others expelled."

"So...what?" Letti glared at him. "You're mad that some people have it better than others, so you burn the school down and summon monsters? Yeah, I agree that it isn't fair, but there are better ways of changing the system than killing people!"

"Radical change must  _ always _ start by burning the old foundation to the ground," Mister Finnigan sneered. "Especially when something is actually hidden beneath the ground of Hogwarts."

The four kids looked at each other. What was he talking about?

He continued. "You see, since the days when I attended Hogwarts, there has always been a rumor about something lurking beneath the foundations of the castle. During my day was when the Chamber of Secrets was reopened and discovered, so of course at the time we all assumed that was it. Suddenly all rumors were put to rest. Then the Calamity happened."

He seemed to hardly be noticing them now, getting lost in the story, though he kept his wand trained in their direction. "Of course, people like Harry Potter only used the Calamity to help themselves to more power and repute. Hmmph, and of course twats like Malfoy used it as an opportunity to bring themselves out of the depths of infamy...did you know he had actually been on the Dark Lord's side during the Second Wizarding War? And yet when the Calamity happened, it was like everyone forgot about that, and suddenly he was some great hero. But not me. I kept myself alive and had to  _ claw _ my way up the ladder. Even so, I still can't have the title of 'professor' here." He slammed his fist against a stone pillar. "Here still I am treated like dirt."

"But it was here that I learned the truth: that beneath Hogwarts, a great power lies in secret, waiting for a champion to claim it and conquer the world. It's the reason the Founders built the castle here. After all, why would you build a great wizarding school out in the middle of nowhere, far away from even any magical community? I'll tell you. They did it to withhold such power from others. They, who were already powerful, were so desperate to hold on to their status, that they built this whole place in order to prevent anyone else from acquiring it."

Lysander nudged Letti. "Someone's off his rocker."

"SILENCE!" Mister Finnigan directed his wand directly at the brown-haired twin. "I might sound mad to one unfamiliar with this knowledge, but I assure you I am quite stable."

Lysander shrugged. "If you say so."

Letti leered at her teacher. "If what you're saying is true, I still don't understand why you would want to attack the school? Wouldn't there be better ways to find this...power, or whatever?"

"Oh, I assure you, I did. It started years ago, long before you came on campus. As a teacher, I have explored every known nook and cranny of this building. I even learned how to replicate Parseltongue, the language of the snakes, just so I could enter the Chamber of Secrets and explore its ruins. For years, the only place I had yet to explore was the headmistress' office."

"This year, I put a plan into action. I was going to create a diversion the headmistress and her pet couldn't refuse: Calamity creatures outside the Hogwarts grounds. I had acquired some black market texts in my searches, and discovered the spells necessary to summon such creatures. It was too easy. On Halloween night, I summoned a pack of hellhounds out by the Quidditch pitch, and the trap was set."

"But why did you summon the Gargantula, then?" Letti asked. "If all you wanted was to sneak into Headmistress Patil's office, there was no need to do that."

"You are correct: there was no need." He nodded. Letti noticed his grip on his wand lowering. He was getting properly distracted. "I did not summon the Gargantula that evening. What I did not find out until a few days later was that young Trey McCormack had found some papers I left lying in the Gryffindor dormitory with spells on them, and memorized the incantations. That was how he had summoned a hellhound during your duel, which got him expelled. Apparently seeking revenge, he had waited patiently until he thought he had the right moment to cause you and your friends genuine harm. After that attack, I found him in the Forbidden Forest, and he became my pupil."

"Of course, like many pupils, he has been dead-set on revenge from the outset, and you, Miss Lunetti, have been his eternal target. I admit, I perhaps should have done more to temper his rage; I never could have suspected he would attack the holiday party in such a grand fashion."

"That was  _ him _ ?"

Mister Finnigan nodded. His wand was no longer pointing in their direction, though he still had a tight grip on it. "Yes, apparently he stole his parents' invitations from the mail and used them to gain entry and summon all those monsters. Nearly cost him his life, it did, and I had half a mind to rat him out and expel him from my tutelage. Until, that is, he showed me something that I had missed in all my years of searching." His grin became wide. "The symbol upon your hand."

Letti had been about to cast a spell, but he caught her off guard. "I...what?" She looked down at her hand. "What do you mean?"

"Hogwarts, of course, has an extensive system of sewage tunnels. Most are nigh inaccessible, and of course I had done my fair share of searching throughout. But Trey, having spent several months hiding down there, had weaseled his way into areas I had never dared. And there, deep beneath the school, was the mark upon your hand, carved into the stone as if by a skilled sculptor."

Letti was baffled. All this time, and there was a mark beneath the castle? Did Professor Malfoy or Headmistress Patil know?

"Initially, I tried blasting my way through it, thinking I could make my way to the hidden power from there." Mister Finnigan was undeterred by her confusion. "Alas, no luck. Whoever had carved the symbol there had not meant it to be the entrance, but merely a clue. I had to do some serious puzzling, but I learned that the symbol lay directly beneath this very tower. Yes," he said, smiling at their shock, "the secrets of Hogwarts have been lying beneath the Astronomy Tower all along. Tonight, I served up the final good distraction: after bewitching most of the Gryffindor students to do my bidding, I had them kidnap you and take you out to Hogsmeade, knowing full well that Malfoy and the headmistress would go scurrying after to protect you. Set a few choice explosives and summon some monsters to create chaos, and I could buy myself all the time I needed to go beneath the Astronomy Tower and lay claim to the power below." His wand arm fell to his side, as he began to look exhausted, exasperated.

Letti seized the opportunity. " _ Expelliarmus _ !" she cried, pointing her hand in his direction.

The bolt of red light missed him by an inch, sparking against the pillar behind him. Furious, he pointed his wand at her and uttered a command. She felt an excruciating pain and fell to the ground, crying out.

"DON'T YOU DARE ATTACK ME!" he shouted. "FOOLISH CHILD!" He lowered his wand, and the pain stopped. Letti remained curled up on the ground, sobbing.

"Unfortunately, I only found another damned door, with  _ another _ damned symbol," Mister Finnigan said, reclaiming his calm. "But I am glad Trey led you here. I believe that I know understand what is holding me back, what is preventing me or anyone else from unlocking that door and accessing the power that has been kept out of reach for so long."

Letti looked up with tears in her eyes. She thought she already knew the answer.

"You." He pointed his wand at her again. "After all, it makes sense. You have been a constant barrier to everything this school year: the Gargantula, the attacks on Gryffindor students. You've been in cahoots with Malfoy and them this whole time, trying to stop anyone else from becoming more powerful. With that symbol on your hand, it only means one thing: you are the lock. Killing you is the key."

"No!" Lily threw herself in front of Letti. "You can't seriously believe that!"

"Get out of the way, child. Only one needs to die tonight."

"No!" Lorcan and Lysander positioned themselves in front of her. "We won't let you hurt her," they said in unison.

Mister Finnigan sighed. "Very well. I loathe the idea of killing at all, but if it is what needs to be done." He began to raise his wand. "So be it."

There was a flash of light from behind Letti. Mister Finnigan shielded his eyes. "What the-!"

Letti turned. A large bird, seemingly made of fire, was hovering just off the precipice. It let out a hawk-like screech and lighted in front of Letti, its wings spread out several feet in either direction.

Finnigan did not seem amused. "Fine, something  _ else _ getting in my way.  _ Avada Kedavra! _ "

There was a flash of green light. The children all closed their eyes for a moment. Letti was the first to open them again, expecting to see the bird crumpled to the ground, slain.

Instead, the bird remained exactly where it was, the flaming crest on its head burning brighter than ever. It seemed to have been unaffected by the spell, and took a step towards the man, chittering angrily.

" _ Avada Kedavra _ !" Another flash of green light. Letti watched this time as it struck the bird squarely in the chest, yet nothing happened. Mister Finnigan's eyes were wide with fright. He looked around a moment, considering his options. Then, with a swirl of his robes, he fled down the steps of the Astronomy Tower.

Everyone was still for a moment. Letti realized she had been holding her breath for a time and let it out, a gasp of exhausted relief. Lysander darted forward and retrieved their fallen wands. The other two students remained still, as if petrified.

The bird turned around, folding its wings neatly against its side. Letti stared at it. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. It stood only a few feet tall, yet had the appearance of being much larger. A triangular crest of orange flames sprouted from the back of its head; additional flames made up the edges of its wings and tail feathers. The eyes were a bright red, staring back at Letti with unexpected intelligence. Still lying on the ground, Letti got a particularly good look at the feet: a pair of yellow talons. Talons she had been staring at for months now.

"Eggsy?"

The bird let out a cheerful chirp and hopped closer.

"Eggsy!" Letti launched forward and wrapped the bird up in a hug. Despite the flames, the bird did not feel burning-hot like its egg shell had been. It was warm, to be sure, but not hot. "You're okay. And you've hatched!"

Lysander stepped forward, reaching a hand out. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen," he commented. "I mean, it  _ could _ be a phoenix, but phoenixes usually aren't quite so…"

"...fiery," his brother finished, equally amazed. "Do you think the shell broke when it hit the ground?"

"Maybe?" Letti honestly didn't care all that much. She was just glad it was okay.

"I bet it was the fire!" Lysander said. "Remember when the bottom broke? That was after Hagrid dropped it into the fire. And I bet that's why it was always avoiding water!"

"That makes sense." Lorcan nodded in agreement.

Lily tapped her foot impatiently. "Not to break up a cool moment, but...shouldn't we maybe go after Mister Finnigan? Before he goes and tries to kill anyone else?"

Letti nodded. "Right." She stared Eggsy in the beak. "We've got to go stop a bad guy, okay? You just stay here and stay safe."

As they began racing down the steps of the Astronomy Tower, however, it became clear that the bird was  _ not _ about to just stay up top on its own. It fluttered and flapped its way down with them, shrieking like a hawk all the way. Its flames provided them with a light that had died out with the decreasing fires around the castle - the darkness of night was finally starting to reclaim Hogwarts.

When they arrived at the bottom of the steps, four hellhounds waited for them.

" _ Disinfern _ -" Letti began.

She didn't have time to finish the incantation before the bird swooped down and, with a mighty caw, flapped its wings. A burst of red energy spread outward, striking the hellhounds. They evaporated in an instant all at once.

"That was cool," Lysander said.

"Let's keep going," Lily urged.

They continued making their way through the castle, weaving through the Great Hall. Several hellhounds waited for them there, and yet Eggsy dispatched them with no trouble at all. Letti was glad for the bird's presence - it certainly made things easier. She noted that Albus and James were nowhere to be found. Hopefully they had made it out of the castle safely.

They had just exited the Great Hall when a great voice echoed through the entrance hall.

"I'm not done with you yet, Lunetti!"

Mister Finnigan stood off to one side, wand at the ready. Behind him lurked a massive Gargantula. It seemed to have been stunned by the wizard somehow, a blue energy surrounding the beast and keeping it from moving. Letti stopped and held out an arm - Eggsy landed on her forearm with ease, hardly weighing anything at all.

"You don't get to escape that easily," Finnigan said, seething. "I will have my victory, mark my words. That bird of yours might protect you from spells and hellhounds, but it cannot protect you from  _ this _ . Gargantula, get her!" He released the spell on it and pointed at her.

The massive arachnid shuddered as the energy around it dissipated. It paused, glancing between the group of children and the wizard who stood directly in front of it. Its mandibles opened and closed. Then, it took a giant step forward…

...and clamped its jaws over the body of Mister Finnigan.

She heard him cry out in surprise as the beast tightened its jaws around him. "Eggsy, stop it!"

The flaming bird launched forward and flapped its wings, a burst of red energy blasting towards the Gargantula. The energy struck it like it did the hellhounds, and for a brief moment it seemed ineffective. After a few seconds, however, the Gargantula faded into ash.

Mister Finnigan faded with it.

Silence. Letti felt her heart plummet. As much pain as he had tried to cause her, she hadn't wanted him to die. She certainly hadn't wanted him to die like that. How was she supposed to explain that to-

"Children!"

Teachers, including Professor Malfoy came sprinting up the stairs. He looked in bad shape, his robes tattered and covered in grim stains. Next to him, Headmistress Patil was cradling one of her arms. They both looked relieved and worried.

"We have to get you out of here as soon as possible," the professor insisted. "We just heard from a student that they were forced to rig multiple explosives all over the-"

At that moment, the ground beneath them bubbled and expanded upward. Letti felt herself thrown into the air, her friends crying out around her as fire and light burst from below. She had just enough time to worry about their well-being when her head smacked the ceiling of the Great Hall, and her final thoughts were those of panic.


	24. Picking Up the Pieces

Letti woke feeling as if the world had crashed down upon her. Her entire body ached with a soreness she was convinced would never leave her again. Every joint cried out with pain. Her left arm couldn't even move.

Was this death?

Slowly, she opened her eyes. She was in what appeared to be a large white tent. A nurse in a stark-white uniform walked past, clipboard in hand and mask over her face. Beside her bed was a tall metal stand with some bags of liquids hanging from it - a tube came from these bags and was injected into the top of her right hand, centered over the triangle in her mark.

Nope. This was definitely not the afterlife.

She glanced at her left arm. The reason she couldn't move it was because it was in a cast. It must have been badly injured during the explosion.

The explosion.

She shot up, panicked. "My friends!" she called out.

"Letti, it's okay, dear." She turned. Henrietta Hazelwood was sitting to her left, a comforting hand resting on the edge of her bed. "You're safe now. It's okay."

"What happened to my friends? Where am I?"

Henrietta sighed. "Most of the students and staff are perfectly safe, dear. We're in a temporary medical camp just outside of Hogsmeade. Many people are being treated here until they can be moved to St. Mungo's. How are you feeling?"

"I...I feel okay, I guess." She put a hand up to her head. "A little woozy, actually. How long has it been?"

"A few days, dear. I'll admit I was quite worried about you - they say you hit your head after a bomb went off, and you broke your arm there. They thought you might have some memory trouble as a result."

Some memories flashed back. Letti remembered the fires, saw a flash of hellhounds attacking, then a burst of fire…"Eggsy!"

Henrietta smiled warmly. "I'm guessing you mean the firebird? It's been flying around helping get rid of some of the remaining Calamity creatures that were roaming about. I'm sure it will...ah, here it is."

The flaming bird soared into the room and landed on the IV stand next to her bed. It didn't seem to realize at first that Letti was awake; as soon as it saw her sitting upright, it let out a happy chirp and hopped down to the edge of her bed, nuzzling her shoulder with its beak.

"I'm glad to see you, too," Letti said, stroking the bird's head. She turned to Henrietta. "Do you know what it is?"

"Well, I didn't, but Mister Scamander seemed to be under the impression that it was a firebird - an ancient creature, apparently hasn't been seen in thousands of years. They thought they were all extinct. Yet here it is." Henrietta reached over and stroked its head; in response, it gave a soft coo. "It seems quite attached to you, dear."

Letti gave the bird a good look over and nodded. "To be fair, I have kept you safe the past few months. I suppose I shouldn't call you Eggsy anymore, should I? You're not exactly an egg, are you?"

The bird gave a chirp and bobbed its head as if in agreement.

"Okay then...maybe...Henrietta, what are good names for a firebird?"

"Goodness, dear, I don't rightfully know. I can't say I've ever considered that subject before." The young woman put a hand on her chin and stared at the bird thoughtfully. "Let's see here...well, you could always go with something literal like Blaze. Could that work?"

The bird made a coughing sound like it was spitting up a hairball. "No," Letti said, "I don't think it likes that. Wait, do we even know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"An excellent point! Are you a female?"

Again, the bird made a gagging sound.

"A male, then?"

The bird bobbed his head.

"Well, that knocks out a few other names I had," Henrietta said. "I suppose Eos, the goddess of the dawn wouldn't work, in that case. Hmm, perhaps Solar? Like the Sun?" Another gagging sound. "Nevermind, not that. Well, there was always the Roman god Mercury - said to have flown faster than anything and to shine brighter than many other gods and goddesses."

The bird hopped from one foot to the other, chirping cheerfully.

"Mercury?" Letti said. "You like that name?" The bird continued to prance about the edge of her bed. "Then that's it! I name you Mercury."

The bird opened his wings and took a small bow.

"Smart bird, that is," Henrietta commented.

"Yeah…" Letti stroked his head. "You said others were being treated here. Are my friends here? Lily and Lorcan and Lysander?"

"Yes, dear. Some of the staff, as well. Headmistress Patil, in particular, is still in a closed tent. Nobody's allowed to see her. I suspect her injuries were quite grievous."

"Is she going to be okay?" Letti's eyes went wide with worry.

"I think so, dear. She's receiving the best medical care they can give right now, so I'm sure she'll be alright."

"What about Professor Malfoy? He was really close to me when…"

Henrietta smiled and nodded. "He's fine. He's actually been leading many of the searches of the ruins, despite many doctors and nurses trying to stop him."

"Ruins?"

"Of course, dear. Hogwarts was...well, they put quite a few explosives underneath the foundation. Hidden in the sewage systems, apparently. Most of the school was completely destroyed." She sighed. "It's gone, dear."

"...Gone?"

Henrietta nodded solemnly.

"Oh." Letti wasn't sure what to say. "Can I maybe go and see my friends?"

"Sure, dear. Let me get a nurse and see if we can clear you to move around."

A few minutes later, two nurses and a doctor both came by to check on her. While they made it very clear that she was not to leave the medical camp under any circumstances, the doctor did say that she could visit some of the other tents. He insisted that Henrietta kept a close eye on her at all times.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, doc," she said. "I'm not letting this girl out of my sight for a good long while."

Letti was glad for the company, in part because it was nice not to be alone and partly because she wasn't quite sure of her footing yet. She stumbled her way out of the tent, aware that she was only dressed in a tight hospital gown - Henrietta handed her a jacket, and then they set off to find her friends.

The medical camp was much larger than she had anticipated; there were at least a hundred different white tents spread all throughout the area. The town of Hogsmeade seemed to have found its life again, as she could see people bustling about the streets in the distance. Altogether it made for a chaotic sight.

"This way, dear. Most of the recovered students are over here." Henrietta led her through the narrow spaces between tents, an arm kept firmly on her left shoulder. A few feet above, Mercury hovered, flapping his wings and shining brilliantly in the morning light.

They never found her friends; instead, her friends found her. It started with Lily, who, upon seeing her, immediately ran up and wrapped her in a tight hug. "You're okay!" she shrieked.

"Ow!" Letti flinched back. Her broken arm cried out in pain.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Lily bit her lip nervously. "I'm just really happy you're okay. I was really worried."

"I'm glad you're okay, too." Letti's cheeks flushed. "Where's everyone else? What happened to your brothers?"

"Albus managed to get them both out before things got really bad. They're both staying with my mom right now. I'm here until I'm properly cleared out." She pointed to a set of bandages wrapped around her head. "I just woke up yesterday. Didn't have any memory of that entire night. Lysander filled me in." She grinned. "My dad says I might have a scar on my head, just like him. That'd be funny, wouldn't it?"

Letti smiled, though she was still a little worried for her friend. "You said Lysander is okay?"

Lily nodded. "Yep. He managed to do the best out of all of us, it seems. Well, he's in a wheelchair for a bit because he broke his legs, but he'll be fine in a couple of weeks. He didn't get knocked out like the rest of us."

"What about Lorcan?"

"Lorcan is...well, follow me." She led them through a series of tents, ignoring some of the frustrated cries of the occupants. Finally, they ended up in a tent almost identical to the one Letti had woken in. Lysander sat in a chair next to the bed, along with another man.

"This is Mister Scamander," Lily said. "Sir, this is Letti Lunetti."

The man stood up. His hair was brown like Lysander's, a mane of hair that seemed to go in every which direction. He shook Letti's right hand gently. "How do you do, dear. You are the girl I've heard so much about. Ah, and there is the firebird," he added, as Mercury came and lighted on Letti's shoulder. "A remarkable creature."

Letti's eyes were transfixed on the bed. Lorcan was laying in it, a number of tubes going from the IV stand to his wrist. There was a mask over his face, as well. His breaths came in heavy gasps. "What's wrong with him?" she asked.

Neither Lysander nor his father answered. "He's in a coma," Lily finally said, after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "He was most directly beneath the explosion, and he apparently got hit really hard, and...they aren't sure when he'll wake up."

"It's Trey's fault." Lysander's voice was full of venom. "Him and Mister Finnigan. I'm glad Mister Finnigan is gone."

Mister Scamander put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Let's not say things like that, Lysander." He turned to the two girls. "If you don't mind, I think it best if you leave for now. We want to be alone with my son."

"Yes, sir." Lily escorted Letti out of the room. "Lysander's been in a really dark place. I'm worried about him."

"Me, too. Was anyone else injured that badly?"

Lily frowned. "A few people died, I think. Nobody's really telling me much; I've just figured things out by walking around. Everyone knows about Mister Finnigan by now and is talking about him, but...I think another teacher died, too. A few students, as well. I don't know, it's all been really hush-hush. Everyone's been really focused on the school and trying to recover whatever they can."

Henrietta sighed, and Letti just about jumped a mile - she had forgotten the young woman was there with them. "Dears, maybe let's not talk about such sad subjects. I'm sure you will know everything in due time. Let's get Letti back to her tent - she should rest up. You should, too, Miss Potter."

They walked back, though their pace was much slower this time than before. "What do you think will happen to school?" Letti asked. "Do you think they'll rebuild it?"

"My mom thinks so." Lily shrugged. "My dad's offered his big mansion as a temporary school if they choose to try and rebuild, but I'm not sure if they'll actually take him up on it. I know they're not super fond of him…"

"Letti!"

They all turned. Professor Malfoy stood several tents down. His hair was disheveled, and his face gaunt. To Letti, he looked a bit like a ghost.

He strode towards them, limping. "Letti, I am so glad I found you. We absolutely must get to the castle straightaway."

"Excuse you!" Henrietta stood between him and Letti. "She will absolutely not be going there, Professor. She only just woke up an hour ago and needs to be getting her rest. You cannot expect her to-"

"It's the mark," Malfoy interrupted. "I've found it. I think it was what Finnigan was after this whole time."

"The mark?" Letti looked down at her hand, and memories flooded back to her: Mister Finnigan talking about finding a mark beneath Hogwarts. "Beneath the Astronomy Tower?"

He nodded. "Precisely. Come, you should see this." He reached to grab Letti's good arm.

"Absolutely not, I insist that you-" Henrietta clutched at him, but it was too late. Letti felt the same jerking sensation she had felt when Headmistress Patil had Apparated them back to the castle. A split-second later, she found herself amidst piles of brick and stone.

It took Letti a moment to realize where exactly she was: Hogwarts. Before, it had been a grand castle, towering above the landscape and screaming magic, mystery, and wonder. Now, however, it was nothing more than piles of rubble. None of the walls or towers remained in completion - a few meager walls stretched a few feet up before breaking off into uneven surfaces. Great pits pock-marked the landscape where the dungeons and Slytherin dormitory had been; looking at it, Letti was glad she had helped get students out from there. Certainly nobody would have survived the destruction otherwise.

A few people were shuffling among the ruins, digging out pieces and organizing them into piles. She saw Professor Longbottom standing among what used to be his greenhouses, looking sullen at the shattered glass and blackened foliage that remained. Professor Lapithes, too, looked downcast, absentmindedly kicking aside some bricks as he took a swig of water from a bottle.

"With the castle completely destroyed, we can Apparate in and out of here now," Professor Malfoy said, his voice grim. "I'm not sure even an army of modern magicians can replicate the spells the Founders created to build this place."

Henrietta dusted herself off, having been taken along for the ride. Next to her, Lily was turned around, throwing up into a dust pile. "Well, of all the irresponsible things to do-" she began.

Professor Malfoy held up a hand. "I know, Letti needs rest. Trust me, if I was actually following the advice of the doctors, I would just be lying in a bed, too. But there are greater things at stake here." He motioned to Professor Lapithes. "Want to show us what you found?"

The centaur nodded, leading them through the wreckage. Someone had made a small corridor through, so they didn't have to directly climb over anything for a good moment. "I was sorting through the remains of the Astronomy Tower when I found it," Professor Lapithes explained. "Based on the testimony of those who knew the late Seamus Finnigan, I believe this is what prompted him to cause such damage to the castle to begin with. As soon as I saw it, I told Professor Malfoy straightaway."

He led them over a pile of rubble - Lily helped Letti over, since she couldn't use her left arm. Based on the debris, she suspected they were going through the remains of the Great Hall - charred pieces of wood and shards of stained glass littered the ground.

"I'm still not sure this is quite necessary," Henrietta said. "Are you absolutely sure this cannot wait?"

"I am." Professor Malfoy said. His voice had taken on a dark tone. To Letti, it almost sounded as if he was afraid.

Lapithes stopped them after they climbed over another pile and pointed. "There," he said.

A pit lay where the Astronomy Tower once stood. It went down thirty, forty feet into the earth, a wall of rubble surrounding it. Against one edge, a seemingly untouched wall of stone was dug into the ground. A door made of the darkest obsidian sat composedly. It seemed out of place amongst all the destruction, as not a speck of dirt or dust dirtied its surface. The door contained no handle or lever, no discernible method of opening it. Instead, inlaid directly dead-center of the door was a symbol.

The symbol from Letti's han: a black triangle encased in a ring of two circles, between which twelve black circles were split into groups of four by three lines coming from the triangle itself. It stared out at them, taunting Letti as she glanced between it and her hand. "What does it mean?" she asked.

"I don't know," Professor Malfoy said, his voice quiet. "But it must have been important, to have buried it beneath the foundation of Hogwarts itself. We've both tried to open the door or blast it open with every spell imaginable, but nothing's worked."

Letti recalled Mister Finnigan saying much the same. Though, at the time, he seemed to think that she needed to die in order for the door to open. 'A key,' he had called her. What if she really was a key?

But what if it wasn't what he had thought?

She rushed down, wincing as bits of rubble rubbed against her cast. "Letti, wait!" She ignored the cries of those behind her. For too long had she been kept in the dark. For too long had secrets surrounded her. For too long had she had questions about her very existence that went unanswered. This door presented an opportunity to learn something. She  _ had  _ to find out, and now.

She slid down further into the hole until she stood before the door. "Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

She held her hand up to the obsidian gate, the mark on her hand flush with the symbol on the surface of the door. For a brief second, nothing happened.

Then, the mark on her hand glowed softly, following momentarily by the symbol on the door. They glowed in unison for several seconds before the light faded away.

With a metallic click, the door swung open.


End file.
